Harris said it was a strange feeling to be in the Australian dressing rooms celebrating a Test win, especially after a winter that included two knee operations

Brydon Coverdale in Wellington24-Mar-2010Ryan Harris has decided that it’s called Test cricket for a reason. Harris bowled 41 overs in his debut match, most of them into a Wellington wind that was so strong that it tipped over the pitch roller. He was in the field for four days in a row, which is tough for anyone, especially a man who had played only one first-class game for the summer.Little wonder that Harris was stiff and sore the day after Australia secured victory, but despite having only three days between matches he is certain he’ll be refreshed in time for Saturday’s second Test. Taking six wickets for the match and grabbing three important victims on the final morning helped his mood considerably, although the team’s celebrations were subdued.”I am pretty tired,” Harris said on Wednesday. “I haven’t played many four-day games [this year] and to do it in those conditions, they were pretty tough conditions with the wind and everything. To make New Zealand follow on and field for nearly 200 overs was a bit of a test. I got through it, I’m a bit tired now, but I’ll be right to go again on Saturday.”I looked after myself last night, so it’s a matter now of keep hydrating in the next couple of days and a bit of a run around probably tomorrow and another one on Friday and get the body moving, and I should be right. I had a couple of quiet beers but didn’t go too hard, none of us did because we have another big Test coming up.”Harris said it was a strange feeling to be in the Australian dressing rooms celebrating a Test win, especially after a winter that included two knee operations. Test cricket was a goal that appeared unattainable at the time, at least in the near future, but Harris has certainly made the most of his chance to wear the baggy green.”I sat last night having a chat with Dad and a few of the boys and we’ve spoken about the last few months and where I nearly was with my knee, and to be sitting there last night with the boys celebrating a Test win, it’s very surreal still,” he said. “I never thought I’d be playing Test cricket, put it that way. I’ve come a fair way and it’s a great feeling, all the hard work to put it all into this and get a baggy green. It’s awesome.”The immediate challenge for Harris is to back up his strong debut with a good performance in Hamilton, but the longer-term goal is to be in the mix for next summer’s home Ashes series. Harris is trying not to look too far ahead but can’t help pondering the possibility of playing in the battle for the urn.”It would be pretty awesome to play Ashes wow,” Harris said. “But that’s a long way ahead yet. I’m worried about the next Test, obviously, and then the World Twenty20 I want to be a part of and then hopefully go to England, so there’s a lot to go before that.”If I just keep performing and taking wickets and bowling well and making it hard for the selectors when the other guys come back to drop me, then that’s what I want to do. That’s what we’ve got to remember, there are still guys to come back into the team who have done really well – Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle. If I just keep performing well and make it hard for them to drop me, that’s what I want to do.”

Waqar Younis, the Pakistan coach, will look to rediscover the team’s trademark flair as they defend their World Twenty20 title in the West Indies

Cricinfo staff26-Apr-2010Waqar Younis, the Pakistan coach, will look to rediscover the team’s trademark flair as they defend their World Twenty20 title in the West Indies. “I will try to induct the same kind of aggression and fire in the team, which was Pakistan’s trademark in 1990s as it is necessary for us to win and retain the title,” Waqar said, ahead of the team’s departure for the Caribbean.While he was confident of his side’s chances, he avoided making predictions about the result. “Twenty20 is a different type of cricket where no one can predict anything but it is important to perform to your potential. You have to bowl, bat and field well on the given day in order to win the match,” he said.Captain Shahid Afridi noted that his side would miss Umar Gul, the world’s leading T20I wicket-taker, but reiterated that the rest of his bowling attack was good enough to make up for his absence. “Umar is an expert of reverse swing. He could have been lethal on the slow pitches in the West Indies but all the other available players are also equally good and eager to perform in the mega event,” Afridi said.Afridi reposed confidence in his spinners, who will play a key role on the slow and low wickets in the West Indies. “Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Hafeez and Abdul Rehman are all talented spinners and can play the role of match-winner against any team,” Afridi said.Despite their players not featuring in the recently concluded IPL, Pakistan are recognized as a dangerous Twenty20 outfit after their exploits in the first two editions of the tournament – they lost to India in the 2007 finals, before going all the way in 2009.The team’s manager, Yawar Saeed told PPI that the team had put behind the disappointments and controversies from the disastrous tour of Australia and were looking forward to the World Twenty20. “Whatever happened during the Australian tour is history now and the players are looking forward to give their best in the championship,” he said.He reiterated that the players’ discipline was being monitored closely, in the aftermath of the Australian tour and the punishment that followed. “Those who are in the team I think have learnt their lessons and there is no disharmony in the team now. The players know their boundaries and they know they can’t cross those boundaries. If any player does indulge in indiscipline no time will be wasted in taking action against him,” he said.

Derbyshire’s return to Leek after a gap of 18 years ended in defeat when the fastest century of the season from Ryan ten Doeschate carried Essex to a five-wicket victory

Cricinfo staff03-May-2010

Scorecard
Derbyshire’s return to Leek after a gap of 18 years ended in defeat when the fastest century of the season from Ryan ten Doeschate carried Essex to a five-wicket victory. Although the Falcons rattled up 299 for seven – their highest total in a 40 over match – ten Doeschate tore the game from their grasp after the Eagles had slipped to 64 for 4, chasing a revised target of 247 from 30 overs.The Netherlands allrounder blasted seven sixes and five fours in a 59-ball
hundred as Essex swept home with 16 balls to spare. Chesney Hughes had scored his first half century for Derbyshire and Wayne Madsen top scored with 66 in the county’s best 40 overs score for 25 years, but ten Doeschate turned a daunting chase into a stroll. He shared stands of 97 in 11 overs with Jaik Mickleburgh and 87 in just six overs with James Foster to end with an unbeaten 109 from 62 balls.Derbyshire had won their last game at the Staffordshire Moorlands ground in
1992 and they made an impressive start after the Eagles had put them in.
Hughes launched the innings with some muscular blows, pulling Chris Martin for six on his way to a 34-ball fifty that also included eight fours.It took a direct hit from Tim Phillips at mid on to run out the 19 year old for 55 but Chris Rogers and Madsen maintained the momentum by adding 59 in eight overs. A diving catch by Mickleburgh at deep square leg removed Rogers for 41 but Madsen dominated the bowling as the Falcons passed 200 in the 28th over.Madsen struck two sixes and five fours in his 66 which came off 54 balls before he reverse swept Grant Flower and Graham Napier took a leaping catch at short third man. But the Falcons middle-order all made useful contributions led by 43 from Garry Park as 88 came from the last 10 overs.Robin Peterson and Lee Goddard added 37 in three overs to set the Eagles a
demanding target which was revised after rain in the tea interval.Essex started badly, losing Alastair Cook in the second over when he edged a drive at Tim Groenewald and Billy Godleman also went for four in the fifth over when he miscued a drive to mid off.When Mark Pettini skied Tom Lungley to mid on four balls later, Essex were 27 for 3 but ten Doeschate turned the game on its head with a repeat of his
hundred at Derby in the final County Championship game of last season when Essex clinched promotion.He peppered the small boundaries and the umpires had to call for a new ball
after one of his sixes sailed out of the ground. The only chance he gave was a fierce return catch to Steffan Jones on 87 and he reached his hundred by lifting the Welsh paceman onto the pavilion roof, his eighth six sealing an impressive win with 16 balls remaining.

C Ganapathy, the Tamil Nadu allrounder, has been named as Abhimanyu Mithun’s replacement for India A’s tour of England starting this month

Cricinfo staff02-Jun-2010C Ganapathy, the Tamil Nadu allrounder, has been named as Abhimanyu Mithun’s replacement for India A’s tour of England starting this month. Mithun, the Karnataka fast bowler, was called-up to the senior Indian squad currently on tour in Zimbabwe to replace his state team-mate Vinay Kumar who was injured.An opening bowler and useful lower order batsman, Ganapathy made his mark in the 2008-09 season as a bowler, helping Tamil Nadu make the Ranji semi-finals. The following season, he started contributing more as a batsman, converting his 40s and 50s to centuries and bailing the team out of trouble in crucial situations. He ended the season with 543 runs at 77.57 and 18 wickets at 24.22. He followed it up with a five-wicket haul for South Zone in the Duleep Trophy final and was awarded an IPL contract, though he played just one game for Chennai Super Kings.India A play their first match on tour against Yorkshire at Leeds, a three-day game starting on Saturday.

Trevor Penney, the former Sri Lanka coach, has swapped jobs with Lachlan Stevens to become Trevor Barsby’s assistant at Queensland

Cricinfo staff24-Jun-2010Trevor Penney, the former Sri Lanka coach, has swapped jobs with Lachlan Stevens to become Trevor Barsby’s assistant at Queensland for 2010-11. Penney left the same role in Western Australia, which was then taken by Stevens, at the end of the season to move to Brisbane.Penney, 42, has had a busy career after finishing as a player with the English county Warwickshire. He was England’s fielding coach in 2005 and an assistant under Tom Moody with Sri Lanka before assuming the top job there in 2007. After that he joined Moody at Western Australia and Kings XI Punjab in the IPL.”When I was coaching against Queensland they always displayed good team spirit and were certainly real fighters on the field,” Penney said. “I’m really looking forward to working with them. They are young and keen and from what I have encountered already in the first few days, very eager to learn and develop further.”Barsby said Penney would be an integral part in the squad’s build-up to the summer. “Our current focus is on fielding for the group as well as some specialised one-on-one sessions,” he said. “I know Trevor’s strengths will complement that beautifully, as it will when we move into higher intensity work in the next month or so.”

India offspinner Harbhajan Singh feels players should have a say in which team they would like to represent going into the fourth season of the IPL

Cricinfo staff09-Jul-2010India offspinner Harbhajan Singh feels players should have a say in which team they would like to represent going into the fourth season of the IPL. The player contracts signed so far were valid only for the first three years and there is speculation over whether teams will be allowed to retain players ahead of the upcoming season, which will also feature two new teams.”I believe in the Premier League, players have a choice to pick or reject offers to play for a certain team,” Harbhajan said. “If no player is allowed to continue with his team, (the whole team will break).”Harbhajan was concerned team loyalty and fan following would suffer if star players migrated from their current teams. “People associate me with Mumbai Indians. And I have some fan following being a Mumbai Indians player. If all players are going to be auctioned again, there won’t be any team loyalty. But then, big guys are going to set the rules of the new process.”The Pune coach Geoff Marsh is against player retention since it would represent a significant disadvantage to the new franchises. While Harbhajan’s loyalties lie firmly with Mumbai, he does not think playing for Pune would be very different. “I play for the Mumbai Indians. Like Pune, even Mumbai is in Maharashtra. So there is not much difference,” he said.Harbhajan paid tribute to retiring Sri Lankan offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who tipped Harbhajan as the only bowler likely to challenge his Test wicket tally. “No one can touch Muralitharan’s record in Tests. It’s sweet of him to say that. But realistically, I’m nowhere near that. I have learnt so many things from him. We will surely miss him.”

There were times during this innings when watching Mark Wagh bat was rather like watching a dry stone waller ply his craft

George Dobell at Edgbaston 21-Jul-2010
ScorecardMark Wagh’s chanceless hundred edged Nottinghamshire ahead on the second day•Getty Images

There were times during this innings when watching Mark Wagh bat was rather like watching a dry stone waller ply his craft. While it may be gratifying to see that the old skills survive, it doesn’t always make for the most riveting spectacle.For this was not the graceful, fluent Wagh that was once described (by Robert Brooke, the eminent historian and co-founder of the Association of Cricket Statisticians) as “the most joyous and magical batsman” of the last half-century at Edgbaston. This was Wagh building an innings run by run; Wagh the dogged; Wagh the determined and Wagh the technically watertight. They are not always qualities with which he has been associated.But, in the context of this game, and perhaps the season, this was a magnificent innings. At 131 for 5, Nottinghamshire were struggling to remain on level terms with Warwickshire. More importantly, their bid to keep the pressure upon Yorkshire at the top of the table was in danger of faltering.Yet, in partnership with the admirable Chris Read, Wagh added 156 in 42 overs for Nottinghamshire’s sixth wicket. Not only was it a county record against this opposition, but it earned their team the initiative in a match that could go a long way towards deciding the destination of the championship.Wagh will never now fulfil the potential his talent once suggested he might. He will never play for England and never become a household name. He leaves the game for a career in law midway through next season with a record that suggests he has been a good, rather than great, player.Yet here he came to the crease at the end of the first over of the day and, on a pitch that continues to provide substantial help to the bowlers, gave not even the semblance of a half chance and remained unbeaten at stumps. There was none of the wafting outside off stump that has hindered the likes of Morgan or Cook, none of the leaden feet that have troubled Flintoff or Trescothick, no evidence of the gate between bat and pad that has damaged the prospects of Kieswetter or Denly and none of the playing across the line that has blighted Pietersen’s career. It was, in short, faultless. It’s very hard to think of a better English batsman who has not won a Test cap.Wagh also accelerated dramatically. While his first 50 runs occupied an eye-watering 157 deliveries (despite a 36-over start, Read beat him to his half-century) , his next took just 59. Finally he unleashed some of those flowing cover drives that usually characterise his batting, as well as using his feet to skip down the wicket and deposit Imran Tahir’s leg-spin for fours and a six. It was the 31st first-class century of Wagh’s career, his third of the season (the second in the championship) and his second in two innings since returning to Edgbaston as a Nottinghamshire player.For a man who felt disappointed at the way his Edgbaston career ebbed away in 2006, such feats make an eloquent point. Particularly at a time when Warwickshire’s batsmen are struggling to hit the ball off the square. The only time Warwickshire thought they might have dismissed him in this game came when umpire Peter Willey reacted to a leg-before appeal by adjusting the sunglasses on top of his hat.Read also batted splendidly. Much the more dynamic of the pair, he took a particular shine to Boyd Rankin, pulling a succession of long-hops with relish. Since his last Test, in January 2007, Read averages 57 in first-class cricket. He’s also one of the best limited-overs ‘finishers’ in the county game and remains a ‘keeper of the highest class. Aged 31, many younger men may have jumped in front of him in the England pecking order, but he still has a great deal to offer at international level.The worth of their partnership was put into relief by what happened before and after. Samit Patel played-on to the sixth ball of the day, while Alex Hales’ delightful innings (his 50 took just 50 balls) was ended when he edged his stab at a wide ball. David Hussey edged a steer at one he might have left, Mullaney bottom-edged a pull and Brown was beaten for pace by a full ball.Then, after Carter, excellent at first but increasingly exhausted, made the breakthrough – Read following one angled wide across him and edging to slip – Notts threatened to fold quickly. Swann drove loosely at an outswinger and Broad, unrecognisable from the fellow who was once mentioned as a potential England number six, spooned a leading edge to midwicket. At the time Notts still trailed by 15 runs with just two wickets in hand.But perhaps the killer blow was applied by Andre Adams. Just as Warwickshire thought they’d clawed their way back into the game, the New Zealander bludgeoned six fours and a six in a 26-ball cameo that consolidated Nottinghamshire’s advantage. By the time he fell, Notts had added 242 for their last four wickets and built a lead of 60. On this pitch, that could well prove decisive.

Kevin Pietersen has been dropped by England for the first time in his career and will play out the rest of the season while on loan with Surrey, after the selectors announced two squads of 12 and 14 players respectively for the two-Twenty20 and five-ODI N

Cricinfo staff31-Aug-2010Kevin Pietersen has, as expected, been dropped by England for the first time in his career and will play out the rest of the season while on loan with Surrey, after the selectors announced two squads of 12 and 14 players respectively for the two-Twenty20 and five-ODI NatWest Series against Pakistan that gets underway at Cardiff on Sunday.Craig Kieswetter, the Man of the Match in the World Twenty20 final in Barbados back in May, has also been dropped from the 50-over squad following a loss of form during the mid-season internationals against Australia and Bangladesh. He has retained his place for the T20s, but his wicketkeeping role has been passed over to Surrey’s Steven Davies, who takes the role in both formats ahead of the Test incumbent, Matt Prior.Pietersen, who has fallen out with his county Hampshire after announcing his intention to leave at the end of the season, will play for Surrey until the end of the season, following a loan agreement between Hampshire and Surrey at the request of the England Team management and the ECB. He will play his first match for Surrey on Wednesday, a CB40 fixture against Worcestershire at The Oval, although he was not amused at the decision as he prematurely revealed in a rant on the social networking site, Twitter:”Done for rest of summer!! Man of the World Cup T20 and dropped from the T20 side too. Its a f**k up!!,” Pietersen posted on his account kevinpp24, before deleting it minutes later, but not before it had been picked up by several users and circulated around the internet.Several hours later, his official, ECB-sanctioned, reaction was more measured: “While I’m naturally disappointed to have been omitted from the England squad I fully understand the reasons why and will be doing everything I can to get back into the England team,” he said.”I have no issue with the selectors omitting me from the limited-overs squads and my sole focus now is working on my game ahead of an exciting winter. I would also like to add my huge thanks to Surrey for giving me this opportunity and I hope I can repay them with some runs.”Geoff Miller, the national selector, said: “Kevin Pietersen has been omitted from both squads as we feel that his game would be best served by getting as much cricket under his belt as possible before a long and challenging winter.”The remainder of the county season is an ideal opportunity to do just that and we thank Surrey for enabling Kevin the chance to play and we thank both Surrey and Hampshire for facilitating the loan period for the remainder of the county season.”Kevin has proved on numerous occasions that he is a world class player and we know he’ll benefit from getting more time in the middle to work on his batting and get his game back to the level he has shown throughout his career.”Steven Davies has had an excellent year for Surrey this season and has earned his chance to take on the role as wicketkeeper in England’s limited overs set up. As ever the wicketkeeper’s role is a fiercely contested position in the England team and we’ve no doubt Craig Kieswetter will continue to press for the chance to reclaim his place in the England ODI squad.”England’s 50-over captain, Andrew Strauss, will line up for Middlesex’s CB40 fixture against Derbyshire on Saturday, September 4, before joining up with England’s one-day squad on Wednesday ahead of the first ODI at Chester-le-Street two days’ later.While Ajmal Shahzad has been selected in the NatWest Series squad he will be available to play for Yorkshire throughout the campaign when deemed suitable by the England management.Ryan Sidebottom will play the first half only of Nottinghamshire’s County Championship match against Durham from Tuesday before joining the England Twenty20 squad on Thursday in Cardiff, while Kieswetter will play in Somerset ‘s 50-over tour match against Pakistan at Taunton on Thursday.Meanwhile Ian Bell will also make his return from a foot injury with Warwickshire in their CB40 match against Nottinghamshire on Saturday, September 4.Twenty20 squad Paul Collingwood (capt), James Anderson,Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Steven Davies, Craig Kieswetter, Eoin Morgan, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, Luke Wright, Michael Yardy.One-day squad Andrew Strauss (capt), James Anderson, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Steven Davies, Eoin Morgan, Ajmal Shahzad,
Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott, Luke Wright, Michael Yardy.

Two Pakistan cricketers were issued notices by the ICC seeking information nearly a month before the spot-fixing scandal broke during the Lord’s Test last month, ESPNcricinfo has learned

Cricinfo staff07-Sep-2010Two Pakistan cricketers were issued notices by the ICC seeking information nearly a month before the spot-fixing scandal broke during the Lord’s Test last month, ESPNcricinfo has learned. The players are part of the squad in England and were sent notices because they were already under the scanner of the ICC’s Anti Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU). One of them was provisionally suspended by the ICC after being named by ‘s sting operation.The ACSU “had already served notices seeking information from certain players even
before the scam broke out,” a source familiar with the ongoing investigation told ESPNcricinfo. It is also understood that relevant PCB officials were aware of the notices, which were sent immediately after the first Test in Nottingham.ESPNcricinfo was unable to contact PCB chairman Ijaz Butt, who has not made any statements since Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were suspended by the ICC. Yawar Saeed, the Pakistan team’s manager, is not authorised to speak on the investigations and referred ESPNcricinfo to the chairman. Another official refused to confirm or deny that such notices had been received.Although the has today named the two cricketers, there has been no official confirmation of their identities.The notice served to the pair sought certain information and the players were required to respond within 14 days. Failure to do so would in itself constitute an offence under the ICC’s anti-corruption code.Some of Pakistan’s cricketers are facing scrutiny not only from the ACSU but also from Pakistan’s tax authorities who will reportedly probe the finances of the cricketers, a move endorsed by both Shafqat Rana, Pakistan’s associate manager, and limited-overs captain Shahid Afridi. “It was there in their (the government’s) mind before we came over,” Rana said about the tax probe. “I think it’s a good thing, it will open things out so they (the players) will be very careful.”

The 30-day deadline given to the Kochi IPL consortium to settle its ownership dispute is a legal step taken by the board towards terminating the franchise

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Oct-2010

The Kochi mess

April 11: Consortium winning the Kochi franchise gives the BCCI an agreement listing seven investors.
August 19: BCCI receives a letter from Rendezvous Sports World raising questions over the agreement vis-a-vis equity shares and seeking board’s approval to amend the share-holding structure.
September 9: Sunanda Pushkar informs the board that she has transferred 190 shares in Rendezvous Sports to Pushpa Gaikwad.
September 16: Rendezvous informs the board that Satyajit Gaekwad – appointed CEO – would be the sole point of contact for the company and, in a second letter, asks it to ignore any requests from “any of the other consortium members” to modify share-holding pattern.
September 23: Chintan Vora writes saying he, Vipul Shah and Saket Mehta are the only people authorised to represent the business.
September 25: Vora writes again saying that Kochi Cricket Pvt. Ltd. would be formed to take over the franchise from existing entity.
September 29: BCCI president Shashank Manohar sends show-cause notice to the franchise saying the board is concerned that the internal dispute will damage the IPL and asks for document saying dispute has been resolved and a company will be incorporated in a fixed timeframe.
October 27: The BCCI issues a termination notice to the Kochi franchise but gives it a 30-day deadline to reply, explaining why it shouldn’t be scrapped.

The 30-day deadline given to the Kochi IPL consortium to settle its ownership dispute is not a reprieve for the troubled team, but rather a legal step taken by the IPL governing council towards terminating the franchise.A BCCI insider privy to the meeting held in Nagpur on Wednesday told ESPNcricinfo that the Board is not confident the ownership issue will be resolved amicably between the two factions because of the two different replies sent by them to the board’s October 12 show-cause notice. The franchise was asked to form a registered company in order for the board to communicate with one entity, and not different groups in the five-partner consortium. The consortium has not, the Board believes, come close to arriving at a settlement, with the official calling it, “an irretrievable situation.” He said, “The dispute is not so easy to solve”.According to him, the BCCI were forced to issue a notice under the provisions of the original contract signed with the Kochi franchise when it was formed in March. “It is mandatory process where the board is required to give them the notice of 30 days because theirs is a breach that can be repaired, and it is not irrevocable. In case they are able to resolve their issue, they will have to show it to us and prove it is resolved. Otherwise at the end of the notice, it stands terminated,” he said.Shashank Manohar, the BCCI president, chaired the meeting today and informed the IPL panel about receiving more than one reply from the two groups in the Kochi franchise. One reply arrived from the lawyer of Rendezvous India Pvt. Ltd, led by the Gaikwad family, and the other from the group of investors led by Mehul Shah of the Anchor Group.”Both were asking different things: Rendezvous stated that the sweat equity (originally granted to them for promoting and investing in the company leading to the bid) is paid equity,” the official revealed. “The rival group was of the view that even it if it was paid equity, they did not want to accept the money.”Gaikwad’s lawyer had stated in the reply that his client was willing to buy out the sweat equity of 25% given for life in the original bid document and convert it into paid equity. The rival faction remained adamant, wanting Rendezvous to exit, with the situation leading to a deadlock.
In that time both factions tried to find a way out. The Shah group told Gaikwad that they would pay 10% of the sweat equity in cash in exchange of their rivals quitting Kochi. Gaikwad’s original counter proposal stated that he was ready to buy out 15% of the sweat equity, but he subsequently raised the offer, saying he was ready to buy out the entire 25% free equity.After that offer was rejected, Rendezvous went back to the negotiation table with a reduced equity buyout offer from 25% to 20%. Shah and the other investors initially agreed to the 20% offer 24 hours before the BCCI deadline, but under terms and conditions unacceptable to Rendezvous. The next day both the groups submitted individual replies through their lawyers.According to the BCCI source, the conflict is serious. “There are four people [investors] who had been brought together by one person [Gaikwad]. When the investors signed the original document they did not know what they were signing into”. The main deal-breaker in the dispute is that Gaikwad wants to retain his control over the cricket which, the BCCI official said, “the investors are completely against. They want him to leave the consortium and hence the deadlock.”The official fears Kochi might eventually run out of steam. “This cannot be solved. While they are saying they are solving the controversy, they are actually doing the opposite.”Should the Kochi franchise be terminated, it will become the third of the ten teams which were expected to participate in IPL4 to be expelled from the league, following the scrapping of the Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab earlier this month.It is here, however that the BCCI are trying to cover their legal tracks by issuing them a 30 day termination notice. The case with the Royals and Kings XI was handled very differently with both teams being asked to explain their ownership patterns in May. Kings XI for example sent in their reply in May and received neither response or show cause from the BCCI until their franchise was terminated in October without any notice. Already the Royals have gone to court and King’s XI are expected to follow suit.Should Kochi meet with the same fate, the BCCI would have done so in strict adherence with the terms of their contract with the new franchise.