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Ranji groups for 2013-14

Group A Mumbai (defending champions), Punjab (semi-finalists), Gujarat, Delhi, Karnataka (quarter-finalists), Orissa, Haryana, Vidarbha, Jharkhand (promoted from Group C)
Group B Saurashtra (runners-up), Services (semi-finalists, promoted from Group C), Uttar Pradesh (quarter-finalists), Railways, Baroda (quarter-finalists), Madhya Pradesh, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan
Group C Hyderabad (relegated), Maharashtra (relegated), Andhra, Assam, Kerala, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Tripura

The BCCI has promised a four-day gap between Ranji Trophy league matches from the fourth round onwards in 2013-14. For the last few seasons, players have had to make do with a three-day break between most of the matches. This has been a cause of great discomfort for players: injuries have increased, there is no time to recover from injuries, and fast bowlers in particular have to hold back in order to make it to the next game.The BCCI has also promised that all Ranji matches will be scheduled on weekends, although it might not be possible for the five remaining matches after the third round, if the four-day gap is to be observed. The full domestic schedule will be announced on July 8.The Ranji Trophy is set to have a four-day break for Diwali after the first round. Besides, with nine teams in each group, each team gets a week off at some point during the league stage.The other significant decision made at the BCCI’s technical-committee meeting was to leave the choice of the venues for knockout matches to the grounds and pitches committee. Last season’s knockout matches were played on a home-away basis. So, if Mumbai had hosted Services in their last encounter, their semi-final now was to be played at Services’ home ground, which meant braving the Delhi chill, fog and rain. The sides struggled to finish an innings each in that game. The BCCI’s press release didn’t say the venues will necessarily be neutral, but it seems to be a departure from deciding the venue based on where the two teams last faced each other.The Under-25 four-day matches will now start a day after the Ranji games have begun so that the younger players not picked for the senior side can be released to play for their respective U-25 sides. The SG Test ball will also be used for Under-25 games as well.Among the other changes, all Deodhar Trophy matches, and the knockouts in the Ranji Trophy one-day matches, will be day-night fixtures. There will be no bonus points in the one-day matches. The Women’s teams will be divided into Elite and Plate groups for the one-day matches and T20s.

The IPL has stepped up security for the four teams remaining in the tournament by providing them officers from its Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU), following up a decision taken at Sunday’s BCCI working committee meeting. Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, who reached Delhi on Sunday for the first qualifier to be played on Tuesday, were allotted an officer each on Monday morning. The other two teams, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals, who are set to arrive in Delhi on Tuesday, have also been allotted their respective officers.”We have been told that the officer will stay with the team, travel with us and will work with the team security in-charge,” a franchise official said.The BCCI’s decision followed the arrest by the Delhi Police of three Rajasthan Royals players – Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila – last week on allegations of spot-fixing. Their police custody ends on Monday evening and while the players’ lawyers have announced their plan to move for bail, the Delhi Police are likely to apply for extension of the custody.ACSU chief Ravi Sawani, who is also heading the commission of inquiry into the allegations against the three players, met senior Delhi police officials on Monday. “I had a very useful meeting with the Delhi Commissioner of Police,” he said after the meeting. “The BCCI has assured him of cooperation in the case. I also told him of Rajasthan Royals’ intention to file an FIR in the case.”The commissioner, Neeraj Kumar, told after the meeting that Sawani had asked the police to share information, which Kumar said it would so with court permission.Kumar also said the Royals management had informed the police of their intention to file a case but were yet to do so. “When they do, their complaint can be part of our investigation or a separate case. It’s more likely to be the first,” Kumar said.Meanwhile, a public interest litigation was filed in the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the four remaining IPL matches and an investigation into spot-fixing and other alleged irregularities. The petition, by Lucknow resident Sudarsh Awasthi, has made all IPL franchises and the BCCI party in the case, along with the federal government.

Gurunath Meiyappan, the top Chennai Super Kings official who was arrested by Mumbai Police on Friday night, has been suspended by the BCCI “from any involvement in the sport of cricket and in particular from any involvement with the Chennai Super Kings team” pending further investigations.In a release issued on Sunday morning, the Indian board said: “The BCCI has taken note of the detention by Mumbai Police of Gurunath Meiyappan, who is a member of the team management of Chennai Super Kings. As an accredited team official, Mr Meiyappan is subject to the provisions of the IPL operational rules and the BCCI anti-corruption code for participants. Pending further investigations and any subsequent hearing by the BCCI disciplinary committee or the IPL code of behaviour committee, Mr Meiyappan has been suspended by the BCCI.”Public prosecutor Wajid Sheikh, meanwhile, confirmed to news channel that “the evidence” against Gurunath till now only pointed to betting offences. “We have evidence of betting only at this stage. Only betting,” Sheikh said. “We want to investigate him for fixing also. Till today there is no proof, that which match, which player is fixed.”Gurunath’s family lawyer, PS Raman, said the charges against him were ambiguous and insignificant. “They [Mumbai Police] are yet to find out what he has done, so they have taken him in police remand. Now they say not spot-fixing or match-fixing, but betting,” Raman was quoted as saying in . “This is such a case that anyone can plead guilty and walk out by paying a fine of Rs 200.”It is such a small offense for which Meiyappan would not run away. The quantum of betting is irrelevant. Just because Meiyappan’s number was found in the phone does not mean that he is guilty. He has known Vindoo Randhawa for the past three years or so and was introduced to celebrities by the film actor.”Meanwhile, the BCCI confirmed that its president – who is also managing director of Super Kings’ owner, India Cements, and father-in-law of Gurunath – will address the press at 4pm on Sunday.The three Rajasthan Royals players, Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, who were arrested on May 16 for alleged spot-fixing, will be produced in a Delhi court today as the stipulated period of their police custody runs out.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Michael Hussey, yet again, adapted his game to the match situation, smashing 88 off 51 deliveries•BCCI

Chennai Super Kings have more match-turning batsmen than any other side in the tournament, and that was on display yet again as they hunted down 186 against Rajasthan Royals. Michael Hussey, who made the slowest 40-plus score in the IPL in the previous match, showed off his versatility with a boundary-filled 88, the out-of-form Suresh Raina powered his way to a half-century, MS Dhoni narrowed the gap to the target though he couldn’t close out the game this time. It was left to Dwayne Bravo to pound a final-over six and deliver victory, before breaking out into a joyous dance.The endless depth in Super Kings’ batting meant that Shane Watson’s typically power-packed century, the first hundred of the season, and James Faulkner’s pinpoint death bowling was not enough for the perennial underdogs Rajasthan Royals to pull off another upset.Royals have won all 15 matches in which they have had to defend more than 162, but once the Super Kings chase began, Royals never looked outright favourites. Ajit Chandila continued to have success with his seemingly harmless and variation-less offspin bowling, dismissing M Vijay cheaply, but Hussey began with a barrage of boundaries, including a six over midwicket to ensure Super Kings kept pace. It was a shot he used often and effectively as he shed his usual role of anchor, and turned into an aggressor.Raina was no slouch either, playing two of his trademark strokes – the slog over midwicket and the inside-out lofted hit over extra cover – as the pair, helped by some erratic bowling, powered Super Kings past 100 in the 10th over.Faulkner gave Royals some hope by getting Raina lbw, but with Cooper bowling too many wide deliveries that were easily guided by Hussey to behind backward point for four, and the finishing expert, Dhoni, in the middle, Super Kings were still ahead.A spot-on direct-hit from Dravid to send back Hussey renewed Royals’ fight, before Faulkner bowled two superb death overs, getting rid of Ravindra Jadeja for a duck, and then dismissing Dhoni caught at wide long-on. It was down to Bravo to score 11 off the final over, off Watson who has only recently re-started bowling. Watson missed the length on one and was drilled over sweeper cover for six to virtually kill off the contest.It was a bittersweet match for Watson, who had been in imperious touch earlier. The carnage started in earnest from the third over, as he coolly launched Mohit Sharma’s first delivery over the bowler’s head for six. Chris Morris was helped over deep backward square leg for six, the giant West Indian fast bowler Jason Holder proved ineffective on debut and by the end of the seventh, Royals had whooshed to 71.The over which defined the innings was the 17th, bowled by Jadeja. The first ball was a hit-me full toss that was clobbered over long-on for six. Jadeja, already taken for 27 in his first two overs, was flustered by the big hitting, and sprayed the next ball miles outside off stump. It was followed up by another full toss that was deposited for six, and another shocking wide, several metres outside off.Watson ended that over on 99, and brought up the first hundred of the season with a gentle nudge behind square leg in the next over. With Stuart Binny regularly scything the ball over the off side, Royals ran up what seemed a terrific total of 185. Not against Super Kings.

ScorecardA century partnership between Tanmay Mishra and Rakep Patel saw Kenya fightback against Canada on the second day in Dubai. At 95 for 3 Kenya were facing a sizable deficit but Mishra and Patel got together to put their side in a strong position.Both players made half-centuries with Patel’s the livelier, coming in just 54 balls with seven fours and a six. Mishra was more sedate and had faced 119 balls by the close for his 57 not out. Together, the pair had got Kenya back into the game.They had made a poor start in reply to Canada’s solid total, losing openers Irfan Karim and Duncan Allan after both had made starts. Captain Collins Obuya also settled with six fours but he fell top-edging Nikhil Dutta’s off spin to leave his side struggling.At that stage Canada were right on top having added 112 to their overnight total with useful contributions from the tail, the pick of which, 32 from No. 11 Henry Osinde, included three fours and two sixes. The tenth wicket added 57 as Canada took control of the game before the response from Mishra and Patel.

Glenn Maxwell had to sit out of the Mohali Test because Australia needed all of their available specialist bowlers in order to have any chance of staying alive in the series, according to coach Mickey Arthur. Due to the standing down of four players for disciplinary reasons and an injury to Matthew Wade, Australia had only 12 men available for the Test and, on Thursday morning, Maxwell was confirmed as the man who would miss out.Rain delayed the start of play and at lunch most of the ground was still under cover but the Australians named their XI anyway, with the offspinner Nathan Lyon recalled after being dropped for the second Test in Hyderabad. Lyon and Xavier Doherty will form a dual spin attack, with Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc as the frontline fast bowlers, who will be supported by the pace-bowling allrounder Moises Henriques.Maxwell took 4 for 127 on debut in Hyderabad, although he struggled to contain Cheteshwar Pujara and M Vijay on his first day of Test bowling when the Indians ran away with the match. Arthur said Maxwell was competing with Henriques for a place in the Mohali Test and the selectors decided that a three-man pace attack with two specialist spinners provided the best chance of the victory Australia needed to make the series 2-1.”He did have a good debut,” Arthur said of Maxwell. “We went with our two quicks and Moises, and we went with what we perceive to be our two specialist spinners. Nathan Lyon and Xavier Doherty were both brought here as specialist spinners. Maxi was brought here as the allrounder-type guy. I guess, in a way, he competes with Moises for one position and we’ve decided we’re going with our specialist attack. We need to take 20 wickets to win this Test match so we wanted our specialists out on the park.”The Australians also have the option of some overs of legspin from Steven Smith, who will play his first Test since the 2010-11 Ashes series. However, Smith has not bowled extensively in the Sheffield Shield this summer and he was brought on the tour specifically as a backup batsman. The selectors were keen on his work against spin and they believed his batting had improved significantly since he was last part of the Test setup.Brad Haddin was also named for his first Test since January last year. Haddin flew to India on Monday as cover for Wade, who sprained his ankle while playing basketball on Saturday. Wade struggled in wicketkeeping, fielding and running drills at training on Wednesday and was visibly uncomfortable on his right ankle.Haddin said he was excited about the chance to return to Test level, having lost his place to Wade when he flew home from last year’s West Indies tour to be with his ill daughter. His Sheffield Shield form this summer has been strong, and he has scored 468 runs at the average of 52, including two centuries.”I’m excited by it. It’s a big Test match here, if the rain stops,” Haddin said on the morning of the game. “From where we are in the series, there’s no second chance here. We’ve got to get a result to draw the series. It’s an exciting time to come in and I’m looking forward to the opportunity.”I have enjoyed my season so far at home but the beauty of Test cricket, and this is where you want to test yourself, is playing in foreign countries. It’s good to be back on this stage again and testing yourself out in the middle, which has been on some challenging wickets. I’m looking forward to it.”Haddin said his New South Wales commitments had meant he had been unable to watch all of the first two Tests but he was familiar with the Indian conditions, having played four Tests in the country in 2008.”We’ve been pretty busy at home with games,” Haddin said. “I haven’t watched too much but I’ve watched bits and pieces. I’ve played over here before so I know exactly what to expect and I’m excited about the chance.”When play eventually begins, the Australians will face the challenge of ensuring they are not distracted by the off-field issues of the past few days, when Shane Watson, James Pattinson, Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Johnson were told they would not be considered for this Test due to their failure to complete a task set by Arthur. Although Arthur said he would have preferred it if the matters could have been handled behind closed doors, he said it was important the team management made a stand.”It has to ultimately become public when it involves so many players,” Arthur said. “I don’t like it being public. That’s not my style but we had given the guys a year really to set culture and do what they wanted to do. We just felt we needed to right now put it all together. It’s not ideal out in the open but if this is the catalyst to get us to No.1 in the world then so be it. It’s all about the cricket now.”

The Junior Sabres first ever website auction is just going from strength to strength and by the time that the office closed at Somerset CCC on Friday the bids received so far amounted to more than £400, with more expected next week.Junior Sabres coordinator Jo Arnold who is running the auction told me: "This is absolutely fantastic. When we launched at the start of the month I would have been happy if we had made £100 so this far exceeds my expectation, and all the money raised of course goes directly to the Junior Sabres in the club which is just great."Jo continued: "All of the players have been really good about donating items of their kit for such a good cause, and this afternoon Keith Dutch has given me a pair of his batting gloves which will become Lot number 12 in the auction."The best bid for any of the lots that has been received so far is for Mike Burns Gunn and Moore bat which currently stands at £120, followed by Peter Bowler’s bat which stands at £85.On Friday evening the best bid for each of the items was: Lot number 1-£20, Lot number 2-£35, Lot number 3-£25, Lot number 4-£40, Lot number 5-£25, Lot number 6-£30, Lot number 7-£30, Lot number 8-£15, Lot number 9-£120, Lot number 10-£85, Lot number 11-£15 and Lot number 12-£15.Please remember that all items are genuine and that the auction will close on November 30th with the lot being sold to the highest bidder.All the lots are listed on the features section of the title page of the website.To register a bid for any of the lots please send an email to [email protected] PRESS.The new Stumpy mugs featuring a cartoon of Somerset’s friendly mascot in full colour have just been received in the office at the County Ground and are currently on sale priced at £3 each or £10 for four.The mugs will make an ideal Christmas present for Junior Sabres of any age. As supplies are limited if you would like to purchase a Stumpy mug call into the office at the County Ground or contact Jo Arnold on 01823 272946.

The Delhi Daredevils have signed Karnataka’s wicketkeeper-batsman CM Gautam on a one-year contract for the sixth edition of the IPL, which is to commence April 3.Gautam had previously played four seasons for Royal Challengers Bangalore before being released last November.He recently enjoyed a successful Ranji Trophy season, scoring two double-hundreds and a century, to finish off the tournament as the third highest run-getter with 943 runs at an average of 117.87. He has scored 2528 runs in 40 matches at first-class level, at an average of 51.59.Daredevils have the services of two other wicketkeepers in Naman Ojha – who has played most often for them – and Puneet Bisht.

David Lewis, one of the finest allround sportsmen to emerge from what was Rhodesia immediately after World War Two, had died at the age of 85.Lewis had already made his first-class debut for Rhodesia – albeit as a full substitute – by the time he arrived at Oxford University as a 21-year-old in 1949. A middle-order batsman, he only broke into the side regularly in his final year – 1951 – when he won a Blue although in 14 first-class matches for the university he only managed 389 runs at 16.91. While at university he also played for Oxfordshire and represented the university at rugby.He returned to Rhodesia and was for the next 13 years an ever-present in the side, captaining them for almost a decade. In 73 matches for his country he scored 3254 runs at 30.69 including eight hundreds.After retiring he remained in the game as an administrator, becoming a president of the Rhodesian board.

ScorecardWellington piled on the runs at the Basin Reserve and despite a spirited response from Mathew Sinclair, Central Districts could not keep up with the asking-rate of nearly 12 an over. In a game shortened to 18 overs per side, Central Districts were made to rue their decision to ask Wellington to bat, as Tamim Iqbal smashed 35 of the 39 runs he and Jesse Ryder put on upfront in 3.4 overs. Ryder went berserk after Tamim’s departure, carting five sixes in his 22-ball 47. By the time Ryder was bowled by Peter Trego, Wellington were 104 inside nine overs. Chris Woakes and Grant Elliott had further punishment in store for Central Districts. Woakes blitzed his way to an unbeaten 55 off 28 deliveries while Elliott was not far behind with 35 off 18.Sinclair launched a flurry of fours as Central Districts zoomed to 108 for 1 in 11 overs but they were still well behind the asking-rat. The innings started to stagnate after Sinclair was stumped off Mark Houghton for 71 off 43. Kieran Noema-Barnett tried but the final margin, 53 runs, showed just how dominant Wellington’s batsmen had been.
ScorecardScott Styris’ six-hitting spree was the difference as Northern Districts remained top of the table after defeating Auckland in a match badly hit by rain at Eden Park. After Auckland chose to field, there were two interruptions early in Northern Districts’ innings. The game was cut to 12 overs per side, after which Northern Districts lost two early wickets to Kyle Mills. Styris walked in at No. 4 and raced away with the game. He hammered eight sixes in making an unbeaten 68 off just 26 balls while opener Anton Devcich contributed 28. After another spell of rain, Auckland were handed a target of 73 in six overs. They could manage only 49 for 6.