BCCI-ICC at loggerheads over ticket sales for World Cup final

MUMBAI: A storm is brewing in the International Cricket Council (ICC) corridors due to the pressure and compensation threats it has been facing from World Cup sponsors over sale and distribution of tickets.

This issue was raised by ICC's legal head David Becker in a letter to ICC president Sharad Pawar, leaving the Board of Control for Cricket in India ( BCCI) red-faced.

Becker also suggested that the window sales of 2000 tickets for the final should be cancelled for fear of injury to ticket-seekers - as happened in Bangalore on Thursday. Instead, the ICC has said that it will take care of distributing these tickets.

Shetty termed it a case of overreaction.

"We feel that it (letter) was totally uncalled for. The Wankhede Stadium was officially approved for the final on January 27 and it takes time for the ticketing process to be completed. You can't expect tickets to be made ready beforehand," said Shetty.

Countering the charges about the delay, Shetty added, "we have delivered tickets to the ICC for the first two league matches (on March 13 and 18). The tickets for the final will be delivered by March 2 which is a month ahead of the final on April 2."

Shetty also differed with the legal head's suggestion of scrapping the window sales for public saying, "We just don't agree with that. The common public has to be obliged no matter how small the number of tickets maybe. We shall send a reply to the letter very soon," he added.

On-line ticket sale launched for ICC CWC semi finals and final

Much coveted tickets for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 semi-finals and the ICC Cricket World Cup final will begin to go on sale tomorrow (Monday) with the launch of the on-line ticket sales via the ICC’s official ticketing partner Kyazoonga.com

With the demand for tickets for the finale of the ICC’s flagship tournament expected to reach record levels, there is sure to be great demand for the proportion of online tickets which will go on sale tomorrow at 1pm Indian time (7.30am GMT).

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC Chief Executive said yesterday; “It was always to Central Organising Committee’s intention to ensure that cricket lovers from all over the world would be able to join in this celebration of our great game and that is why a number of tickets are being placed on the for internet sale. We have seen the tournament start amidst extraordinary scenes in Dhaka where the demand for tickets way outstripped supply yet tens of thousands of passionate supporters packed the streets around the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium so they could sample the remarkable atmosphere of the first match.

“I am sure that the passion for the ICC’s flagship event will have touched even greater levels by the time we reach the semi-finals in Colombo and Mohali on 29 and 30 March with the ICC Cricket World Cup final being held at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on 2 April. The on-line sale will be followed by a second phase where tickets are made available to the general public through the stadium box offices.”

Vettori agrees with ICC's 10-team 2015 World Cup move

It appears as if International Cricket Council's (ICC) decision to reduce the number of teams to 10 at the 2015 World Cup is justifiable. Kenya's abysmal performance here at Chepauk yesterday bowled out by New Zealand for 69 runs brought to the fore the ugly truth that cricket is still a sport confined to seven or eight teams.

Though the Kenyan team management, counting Jonty Rhodes, were sure of upsetting the Kiwis, who came here on the back of their worst run in ODI history, the Africans could not live up to the billing of the only minnow side to have made the semi-finals in 2003.

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori agreed with ICC's move of getting rid of associate teams like Kenya for the next World Cup. "To be honest, I can see the benefits of ICC doing this. In 1996, we didn't have so many associate teams, and it was a successful World Cup. Just as long as the development of these lesser teams is done ¦ that's important for the sport. Everyone is talking about globalising the sport, and we won't know what these teams are capable of until they play in big tournaments. It's up to the ICC to see whether their development is done in different levels and tournaments. I can see both formats working, the World Cup won't lose out in any way," Vettori said.

However, West Indies' World Cup-winning skipper Clive Lloyd has another view. He told a TV station recently: "Why would we want to get rid of them? In the FIFA World Cup, teams like Senegal and South Korea have caused major upsets. That's why it's called a World Cup. It's important to grow rather than reduce the number of teams."

Sanga and Anura to repreent Lannka at WC opening ceremony

Chris Dhambarage reporting from Bangladesh

The city of Dhaka will come alive when the tenth edition of the International Cricket council (ICC) 2011 World Cup opening ceremony unfolds with a glittering pageant at the Bangabandhu National Stadium tomorrow. A capacity crowd of over 36,000 are expected to flock to the stadium for this mega event which will also be telecasted to a worldwide audience 220 nations around the globe.

Sri Lanka will be represented by captain Kumar Sangakkara and Manager Anura Tennekoon during the opening ceremony as they look to focus their attention on their opening fixture against Canada on Sunday. World renowned Canadian pop singer Bryan Adams will be performing at the opening ceremony along with his summer of 69 hit which is certain to make this event an unforgettable experience. Bryan Adams is the only western artists who will be performing at this gala event along with several other artists from Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. In addition the official song of the ICC World Cup will be sung by Shankar Mahadevan and Divya Kumar.

The official song of the ICC World Cup will be sung in three different languages Hindi, Bangla and Sinhala. This is the first time that the World Cup opening ceremony is held in Bangladesh which is also one of the host nations along with India and Sri Lanka. The ICC has sold the rights for broadcasting of the 2011 Cricket World Cup for around US$ 2 billion to ESPN, Star Sports and Star Cricket who have made elaborate arrangements for the live telecast of the opening ceremony from Dhaka.

The World Cup opening ceremony will have a great amount of significance as this will be one of the biggest events that Bangladesh will be hosting since gaining independence in 1971. The impoverished South Asian nation has also spent more than $100 million to tidy up for the tournament as they look to take advantage of a prime opportunity to rebrand a country often known only for devastating floods and cyclones.

Now, every six in World Cup will matter

MUMBAI: Reliance Life Insurance has joined hands with the International Cricket Council ( ICC) and Room to Read - a global non-profit organization committed to promoting literacy and gender equality in education, to launch the 'Boundaries for Books' campaign.

Reliance Life Insurance, in a first-of-its-kind initiative - 'Boundaries for Books' - will contribute Rs. 25,000 for every six hit during the World Cup. This donation will be made to Room to Read, towards establishing libraries and providing local language and English books to underserved children across India.

Every single six will ensure that at least 30 children get access to fully functional libraries with books and trained teachers, thereby catalyzing a long-term revolution amongst young minds that will lead the future of India. The announcement was made last week.

ICC: No tweeting during World Cup 2011

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned players and team officials participating in the 2011 World Cup from tweeting during matches.

The decision, an initiative of ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit, intends to restrict the players and officials to be approached by people linked with illegal betting and ensure a corruption free World Cup.

Talking to Sydney Morning Herald about the ban, ICC spokesperson James Fitzgerald said: "When it comes to issues of corruption we prefer to err on the side of caution."


''We don't want to spoil anyone's fun but there is a chance that sensitive information could be passed on during matches in this way, even inadvertently, and we just feel that team managers' phones should be kept for operational purposes only.''

According to the report in the newspaper, the ban from ICC came in response to Australian team manager Steve Bernard's tweets which attracted more than 1,100 followers to his @stevebernard37 account in the past six months.

Fitzgerald said: "This recommendation is not confined to the Australia team manager but all teams in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011."

"And is certainly not a reaction to anything the Australia team manager has said or done in the past. It's merely a precaution and is not something we are overly worried about at this stage."

This ban comes exactly 10 days after Pakistan trio Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif were suspended for periods ranging from five to 10 years after being found guilty of spot-fixing during the fourth Test against England last August.

However, the players and officials will be allowed to use twitter when the matches are not on.

Hyundai - Official Car Partner Of World Cup Cricket

Hyundai, well-known for its support of the FIFA' and Football World Cup globally, is now a major backer of cricket.

It will be providing official support at the World Cup starting shortly. Hyundai has just signed a deal with the International Cricket Council (ICC) to become the ICC's first, official car partner. The current agreement runs from now until 2015.

ICC officials and players will use Hyundai cars for official transportation for the duration of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. And Hyundai will be the transportation partner for ICC's other competitions, such as the Champions Trophy and the World Twenty20, among other exclusive rights.

"The ICC Cricket World Cup is one of the world's biggest sporting extravaganzas and New Zealand is always one of the top contenders," commented the Chief Operating Officer of Hyundai New Zealand, Tom Ruddenklau.

"It's fitting that Hyundai, one of the world's fastest-growing major automaker, is involved with this exciting tournament and indeed right across world cricket."

"Here in New Zealand of course Hyundai is a significant backer and supporter of a wide range of sports as well as community organisations, so we are delighted to be there not only cheering on the Black Caps but helping ensure the tournament is a winner."

The 2011 World Cup, a 50-over contest, sees games between 19 February and 2 April in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. There are a total of 49 matches with teams from 14 nations. The World Cup is one of the most-watched events in the world, with more than 700,000 spectators in host countries and 2 billion television viewers in 110 countries. In India, Hyundai will hand over a fleet of vehicles including Hyundai's top-selling i20 model, as well as the Santa Fe SUV, New Zealand's family wagon. Hyundai's cricket involvement forms part of the mega-company's expansion in its global sports marketing activities as it boosts its brand image worldwide.

Hyundai has an 11-year association with FIFA, serving as the official automotive supplier to all FIFA-sanctioned events around the world. Hyundai is currently one of FIFA's top partners and has extended its strategic sponsorship agreement with FIFA to cover the 2022 FIFA World Cup' in Qatar.

Hyundai supports the ICC World Cup and cricket ongoing: Haroon Lorgat (left), CEO of the International Cricket Council (ICC), accepts key from H.W. Park (right), CEO of Hyundai Motor India (HMI)

How to Get Your Cricket World Cup Tickets

The Cricket World Cup is just 17 days away, but there’s still a chance to get tickets for many of the first round matches, provided you don’t mind watching some of the less fancied teams.

Unsurprisingly tickets for India’s key games have been snapped up, though the shifting of India vs. England on Feb. 27 from Kolkata’s Eden Gardens to Chinnaswamy Stadium might free up a few, since some people won’t be able to change plans and travel to Bangalore.

The only India match for which tickets are still available is the Ireland game on March 6, also in Bangalore. It’s unlikely to be a classic, but you never know, bearing in mind Ireland dumped Pakistan out of the World Cup in 2007.

If you’re looking for tickets, check on the official World Cup Web site. There is a tickets section, which takes users through to a page run by Kyazoonga.com, the official ticketing partner for the World Cup. Hopefully they’ll have an easier time handling online traffic than the Commonwealth Games ticketing partner, IRCTC, the state-run railways reservations portal, did.

A quick hunt around the site shows that there are still tickets for some exciting clashes, including South Africa vs. England in Chennai on March 6 and Australia vs. New Zealand in Nagpur on Feb. 25. Tickets for the semis (in Colombo and Mohali) and final (Mumbai) are not on sale yet, but it’s possible to sign up on the official website so you can be alerted when they become available.

India is hosting the World Cup with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Tickets for matches in Sri Lanka can be bought on the official website, while Bangladesh has designated a number of City Bank and Agrani Bank branches as retail outlets.

For online purchases, local customers can use credit or debit cards, while those buying from outside India will need to use a valid international credit card. Tickets are delivered by courier, although the site FAQs don’t say whether they courier to international addresses. Tickets can also be picked up at the venue. If you’re in India already, I’d go for the courier option to avoid extra hassle at the stadium.

Fans can also buy tickets directly from the venues, though be prepared to queue and be wary of the dangers that seem to crop up whenever India hosts a major sporting event.

According to a NDTV report, a wall at Chennai’s Chepauk Stadium collapsed today as hundreds of people waited in line to buy tickets. Two people were injured, the report said. For the second time in as many weeks, the World Cup preparations veered along worryingly similar lines to the mess seen in the run-up to last October’s Commonwealth Games.

So much for learning the lessons from that debacle, and all the more reason to book tickets through the relatively safer Internet route. What could possibly go wrong? Actually, forget I asked that.

Spin, toss and catch the Cricket World Cup frenzy with Yahoo!

Cricket lovers can be a part of the World Cup celebrations on Yahoo! through live match updates, detailed match analysis, exclusive video content, engaging games and rewarding contests.

Yahoo! India and the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the launch of the official ICC World Cup 2011 website - iccevents.yahoo.com today. This website will be the official ICC World Cup online destination for cricket enthusiasts from around the world who are following the ICC Cricket World Cup frenzy.

Cricket lovers can be a part of the World Cup celebrations on Yahoo! through live match updates, detailed match analysis, exclusive video content, engaging games and rewarding contests. The experience will feature more interactivity by choosing from a variety of cool world cup themed avatars, the ability to buy game tickets and other ICC merchandise through the website.

Prem Panicker, Managing Editor, Yahoo! India said, “Cricket is the most passionately followed game in India and many countries around the world. Cricket fans can now catch all the excitement of the game on the ICC World Cup 2011 official website. Yahoo! Cricket will deliver compelling and unique content alongside interactive contests to build on the euphoria for the game. Enthusiasts can share their thoughts, play games, create personalized profiles and track matches through interactive schedulers.  Cricket fanatics can also watch and share exclusive video content and photographs on the site. We have ensured that Yahoo! Cricket provides a platform for millions of supporters to come as close to living, feeling and breathing the action unravel in the forthcoming 2011 World Cup. ” 

According to Campbell Jamieson, ICC General Manager, Commercial, “As the countdown continues to the Cup that Counts, we are thrilled to be working with Yahoo! to launch an online destination that offers the exclusive ICC Cricket World Cup content in an innovative and engaging way. We are also grateful to our partners who have helped make the ICC’s flagship event such a great success.”

The ICC World Cup website on Yahoo! offers a range of unique highlights including:

Live scorecard interaction: Enjoy a more visual and captivating experience when following the World Cup online with the help of filter commentary options to check out what you want (e.g. 4’s / 6’s / wickets filters).  You can also interact with other fans and Yahoo! Cricket experts through the Live Cricket Chat widget.

Commentweeter: Get a consolidated view of Twitter updates directly from cricket fans and the top cricketers of the world in one single view. Yahoo! Face in the crowd –Yahoo! photographers will be doing rounds clicking pictures of fans in the stadiums during the World Cup matches. Unique and cool fan photographs will be selected for display on the stadium’s big screen.  Fans featured in the best photographs win cool Yahoo! goodie bags. You can also take your own ‘Face in the crowd’ pictures and upload them on Flickr.

Yahoo! Cricket keeps fans up to date with all the cricketing action around the world. From the latest cricket news, live ball by ball updates, match schedules, team & player profiles, cricket photos & videos, cricket interviews to columns – Yahoo! Cricket offers cricket fans with an enthralling and exciting experience that keeps cricket buffs as close to the 22 yards as possible.

Sales of World Cup merchandise may cross $ 1 mn

NEW DELHI: The upcoming cricket World Cup being organised by the ICC in the Indian subcontinent is expected to rake in over $ 1 million (over Rs 4.5 crore) from the sale of merchandise, both online and at match venues. UK's IVS Group, the International Cricket Council's (ICC) venue concessionaire and webstore licensee, is focusing on local production of merchandise like jerseys , T-shirts , caps, headgear and souvenirs.

"We anticipate sales will be in excess of $ 1 million. Our early forecast is for high sales at the event and we have ensured our product mix caters to all cricket fans, both in the subcontinent and globally," IVS Group Project Manager Matt Hassall told PTI. IVS will sell merchandise over the Internet as well as at the match venues and hotels and airports in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, he said. "By using local production for our large volume items, we have quick turnaround capacity," Hassall said, adding that the company will ensure that it has sufficient products available to cater to all tastes. He said the headwear range is already seeing brisk sales. "Both caps and sunhats are selling well online," he added. The ICC's official portal is selling apparel and caps in the range of $ 20 to $ 50 and small items such as keyrings and pins are priced at around $ 5.

IVS has also partnered with KyaZoonga, which is the official ticket partner of the ICC, to offer products to ticket buyers. "We have not even created much noise about it (the merchandise range) yet, but are already seeing people buying products along with tickets. There is a lot of demand," KyaZoonga Chairman and CEO Neetu Bhatia said. It is, however, estimated that overall revenue from official World Cup merchandise sales will be much more than $ 1 million, with India's Future Group -- another official merchandise partner -- revving up campaigns ahead of the mega cricketing event being held from February 19 to April 2.

The Kishore Biyani-promoted group will be selling a wide range of merchandise at its Central, Planet Sports and Big Bazaar outlets, aggregating to over 150 retail points. "We have launched a wide range of merchandise in the past, right from cricket to Bollywood, but expectation from the latest range is much more, as cricket is in the heart of every Indian and the tournament is happening in the Indian subcontinent," Big Bazaar Business Head (North) Vineet Jain said. He, however, did not divulge the revenue expectations from the latest offering. Big Bazaar is offering cricket merchandise such as T-shirts, track pants, shorts, sweatshirts, caps, head bands, bed and bath linen products at prices upward of Rs 199.

That's not all, the retailer has also co-created 'The Sach' brand of toothpaste and bathing bars with legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar .

ICC Cricket World audio show celebrates CWC 2011

On this week’s special edition of ICC Cricket World audio show, ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat reviews 2010 and previews 2011 while ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Tournament Director Prof. Ratnakar Shetty, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan and former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardena look forward to ICC’s flagship event which starts in Mirpur, Dhaka, on 19 February.

Mr Lorgat, looking back at the year that has just finished, says: “Restructuring of the Future Tours Programme (FTP) was quite significant where we created the Test Championship model. This will add a lot of context and meaning to the bilateral cricket. “The anti-doping code was introduced and came into effect in 2010 while the Decision Review System (DRS) was also significant. We have seen how it is aiding the umpires in the current Ashes series. “There was a change of guard in the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) with Sir Ronnie Flannigan taking over from Lord Paul Condon. This year there was also a change of presidency when Sharad Pawar took over from David Morgan.”

Look ahead to 2011, Mr Lorgat says: “The single big objective is to deliver a world-class ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. That is our flagship event. It’s The Cup that Counts. “We will also like to finalise the new FTP League structure that we have got. We have got the new league rules to agree on. Hopefully during the year we can agree that the first World Test Championship can be held in 2013. It is still something which is a work in progress.” The show can be used in whole or part by radio stations that want cricket content, while the public can also download it straight from the ICC website at http://icc-cricket.yahoo.net/media_interactive_zone/podcast.php.

Prof. Shetty, giving an update on the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 preparations, says: “The Central Organising Committee (COC), which is headed by Mr Sharad Pawar, who is also ICC President, has taken several decisions in trying to make this event a memorable one and to ensure that the non-India, non-Sri Lanka and non-Bangladesh games also have good spectator attendance. “What we have also impressed upon the venues is to keep the ticket rates at the minimal and affordable so that people come to stadia, and to look after the spectators, media and players facilities. The emphasis has been not on the size of the stadia but at ensuring that the facilities are good at all the grounds.”

Shakib Al Hasan, talking about the fitness of fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza and the players to watch out for from his side, says: “I had a chat with Mashrafe and he told me that he will be able to play after a month. It will take him four weeks to get back to the ground. I firmly believe he will be fit and that will be a great bonus for us.” The number-one ranked all-rounder on the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for ODI all-rounders, adds: “Tamim Iqbal for the last one-and-a-half year has been terrific. Imrul Kayes has been the highest run-getter for Bangladesh last year. Mushfiqur Rahim is the other one who is improving and Abdur Razzak has been bowling really well.”

Jayawardena, who led his side to the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in the West Indies, believes Sri Lanka will look to pace itself well during the tournament. “I don’t want to consider ourselves as favourites. We can be a force to be reckoned with. “We will just like to start slowly and concentrate on one game at a time. I know the conditions will help us, the crowd and home advantage and all that. But we can only control things on the field. We can just keep our focus on that. I think we have got a pretty good chance.” Apart from the above interviews, the show has the usual round up of cricketing news plus an update of the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test and ODI cricket. This week’s ICC Cricket World audio show runs for 25 minutes and has been put together by the ICC’s global broadcast partner ESPN STAR Sports.

England name preliminary squad for 2011 Cricket World Cup

England have unravelled their preliminary 30-member squad a day before the December 19 deadline set by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The deadline is December 19 for all participating teams except Pakistan, what with the troubled Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) struggling with match- and spot-fixing scandals that have forced them to delay their squad announcement. The ICC has given the PCB till January 5 to announce the Pakistan squad.

The English squad consists mostly of national players who have impressed in the T20 and ODI formats as well as done well in domestic competitions in England. "We have selected a squad of players with a strong track record in limited-overs cricket either for England or in the domestic game,” said national selector Geoff Miller. “Recent series have shown we have made progress in one-day cricket and we will be looking to continue this form during next year's World Cup and challenge for another global title."

The squad also includes Matthew Prior and Alastair Cook, who are not part of England’s current ODI team and will not be taking part in the limited-overs series in Australia that will follow the current Ashes series after it concludes at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 6. That seven-match ODI series will end on February 6 at the WACA Ground, mere days before the start of the World Cup, by when England’s final 15 for the tournament will have already been named. The injured Stuart Broad has also been named in the 30-man squad despite being ruled out of the rest of England’s tour of Australia.

James Adams, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, James Hildreth, Michael Lumb and Darren Stevens, all of whom are yet to be given a run at the ODI stage, have also been named but are unlikely to be included in the final team. Lumb and Craig Kieswetter, who have both of late been labelled T20 specialists only, have also been included in the 30-man squad.

A surprise call-up has been Samit Patel, the all-rounder from Nottinghamshire who played well for England in the few opportunities he got but failed to cement his place due to fitness troubles. Many believe that Patel does not have the requisite attitude towards the game, despite his obvious talent. But Miller had words of encouragement for the overweight cricketer.

"Samit Patel has also been included in this preliminary squad and - along with every other player named - will be required to meet individual fitness criteria before the squad is finalised," said Miller. "There is still some time to pass before the final squad is selected so all 30 players have sufficient time to press for selection."

Another surprise recall, along with Patel, is fast bowler Liam Plunkett, whose career tapered off after an impressive debut in the 2005 series against Pakistan.

England has yet to win the most coveted prize in ODI cricket, despite making it to three finals.

The 30-man squad announced for England is as follows:

Andrew Strauss (Middlesex, capt), James Adams (Hampshire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Alastair Cook (Essex), Steven Davies (Surrey), Jade Dernbach (Surrey), Steven Finn (Middlesex), James Hildreth (Somerset), Craig Kieswetter (Somerset), Michael Lumb (Hampshire), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire), Kevin Pietersen (Surrey), Liam Plunkett (Durham), Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), James Tredwell (Kent), Chris Tremlett (Surrey), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Luke Wright (Sussex), Michael Yardy (Sussex)