New Zealand look to find form against India

fter their disastrous outing in the ODI series against Bangladesh, the tour of India provides New Zealandcricket team with an opportunity to start afresh, according to skipper Daniel Vettori.

"This is an important tour for us. India is playing incredible cricket with such an experienced side," Vettori told media persons here.

"We have quiet a few young players with 2-3 years of experience in first class cricket. We are looking for a good performance by the young players, and looking forward to this tour as an opportunity to comeback," Vettori said.

Daniel VettoriExpressing disappointment over the Bangladesh series, which New Zealand lost 0-4, coach Mark Greatbatch said the team did not play the way it should have.

The coach, however, said that his team was excited to be in India and he was looking forward to young players to hit form and find their rhythm.

Greatbatch said that since the wickets here are quiet different from that in New Zealand, they have been planning a balanced bowling attack including some spinners.

New Zealand players, who arrived on Saturday, for the first Test starting Friday, had an exhaustive morning practice session at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera.

Source: rediff.com

'Sport in India has increased beyond cricket'

India fast bowler S Sreesanth along with badminton duo Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa performed on some foot tapping Bollywood numbers and enthralled the audiences.

"In recent times, the participation in sport in India has increased beyond cricket. This is quite evident from the success we have achieved recently at various international events and not to forget the just concluded Commonwealth Games," Subrata Roy, chairman of the Sahara India Group said.

"Sports in India, in the past has always taken back seat and never got the deserved recognition, applause and encouragement. Sahara India Sports Awards should be seen as a celebration of this welcoming transformation and a sincere effort to provide a common platform to all sports, irrespective of their popularity, encouraging the sportspersons and giving an impetus to their talent by appreciating and felicitating them.

"As a part of our commitment towards promotion and development of sports in India, the Sahara Indian Sports Awards is a step to honour the spirit of sportsmanship," he added.

Source: rediff.com

Tendulkar named Cricketer of the Year

After a splendid season, where he scored first-ever double century in One-day and climbing the 14000-runs peak, Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday night was named the Indian cricketer of the Year. Our Correspondent Harish Kotian reveals the other winners at the Sahara India Sports Awards.

India's master batsman Sachin Tendulkar, boxing ace MC Mary Kom and wrestling superstar Sushil Kumar took the top honours at the Sahara India Sports Awards in Mumbai, on Saturday.

Veteran Tendulkar was named the Cricket of the Year, while World and Commonwealth Games gold medalist Sushil Kumar was honoured with the prestigious Sportsman of the Year.

The Sportswoman of the Year went deservedly to world champion MC Mary Kom, while the Indian Davis Cup beat the Indian cricket team to take home the Team of the Year Award.

Source: rediff.com

Sachin has signed a deal with Adidas

For the record, Tendulkar signed a deal with Adidas last year.

The SG factory in India makes his bats.

The bats are available in Australia, known as the Sachin Tendulkar Master Blaster Elite and retail for about 650 dollars.

'Getting facts about Sachin's bats is not easy'

It's not easy getting the facts about Tendulkar's bats because just about everyone claims they are the great man's official supplier.

'A lot of manufacturers give him handmade bats because it looks good for them to say they made a bat for Tendulkar,' Solomons said.

'He gets inundated - and then gives them away to poor kids.'

'Sachin's bat is much heavier than Ponting's

They are also heavy, a result of having to share a full-sized bat with his brother when he was a kid.

To put that in context, the bat used by 193cm West Indies great Clive Lloyd - who was renowned for using a gigantic heavy bat - weighed 3 pounds, 4 ounces. Tendulkar is 165cm.

'Now he's gone a little bit lighter. But he still likes a big, thick, heavy bat, much heavier than, say, Ponting's bat.

'The bat Tendulkar uses now is 2lb 12oz.'

'Sachin's bats are English willow, with a thick profile'

The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Solomon as saying: 'I was having lunch two days ago with the guy who makes his bat.

"His bats are English willow, with a thick profile, massive edges which he likes, and he also likes his bats to be heavily bowed.'

This refers to the curvature of the face of the bat.

'When he was with [previous bat sponsor] MRF his bats were close to three pounds,' Solomons said

The secret behind Sachin's magical bat

Does Sachin Tendulkar's bat fit Marylebone Cricket Club regulations?

According to cricket-supply guru, Harry Solomons, who owns Kingsgrove Sports Centre, which once employed the Waugh brothers, 'Sachin's bats look wide, but they are regulation width. It's the thick edges that make it look bigger.

The MCC's Laws of Cricket state:

(a) The overall length of the bat, when the lower portion of the handle is inserted, shall not be more than 38in/96.5cm;

(b) The width of the bat shall not exceed 4.25in/10.8cm at its widest part and

(c) Permitted coverings, repair material and toe guards, not exceeding their specified thicknesses, may be additional to the dimensions above.