India finally broke through for their first win of the tour thanks to a dazzling display in the field. Ravindra Jadeja provided the spark – and did no harm to his chances in Saturday’s IPL auction – with a pair of run-outs as Australia’s batsmen were constricted by intense pressure from the fielders, and were dismissed in the 20th over for 131.

That was always going to be hard to defend and so it proved, India reaching the target with two balls to spare and eight wickets in hand to draw the series 1-1. They began the chase needing only a fraction above six an over and as a result spent much of their innings in cruise control, Gautam Gambhir able to amble along at less than a run a ball without ever letting the pressure build.

The only time a hint of worry might have entered the Indian camp was when five dot balls came towards the end of the chase, and George Bailey had all his fielders in the ring in the final over with one run required. But Gambhir found a gap at midwicket to strike a boundary off Clint McKay and finished on 56 from 60 balls, with MS Dhoni also unbeaten on 21.

Virender Sehwag provided some excitement with one enormous six back over the head of the bowler Xavier Doherty but it was the only one in India’s innings. They didn’t need any more. Sehwag was caught at cover off a Brad Hogg full toss for 23 and Virat Kohli, who made a quick 31, was brilliantly caught when Matthew Wade dived to his right off the bowling of Mitchell Marsh, but they were Australia’s only two moments to celebrate in the field.

Australia needed to build more pressure and while their work with the ball and in the field was not bad, it lacked the zip shown by their India counterparts. Four Australia batsmen were run out and another was stumped, the younger men brought in for the limited-overs games providing the energy that India lacked in the Tests.

It all started with Jadeja, who got rid of two of David Hussey’s partners with run-outs and then picked up the wicket of Hussey off his own bowling. The big wicket was that of Aaron Finch, who was sent in alongside David Warner at the top of the order and showed his power with six fours, five of which were through the off side.

Finch launched drives and cuts at anything wide of off and at one stage he had aggregated more than 100 Twenty20 international runs without being dismissed, but that changed quickly. Finch was caught short when Hussey pushed into the off side and tried for a single that wasn’t there, Jadeja’s throw getting rid of Finch for 36 from 23 balls.

The captain George Bailey departed soon afterwards when he overcommitted as Hussey steered the ball to backward point, where Jadeja collected and threw to the bowler’s end with Bailey (3) a long way short. Jadeja then induced a leading edge off Hussey, who made 24 from 29 balls, and that wicket left Australia in trouble at 5 for 93.

The fine work kept coming from India. Mitchell Marsh was stumped off Rahul Sharma, Dhoni collecting the ball close to the stumps and with no give in his gloves, he hardly had to move to whip the bails off and find Marsh just out of his ground. That was followed by what was effectively a knockout blow for Australia, when Matthew Wade was run out for 32 off 29 balls.

Wade had slog-swept a six and after his outstanding innings on Wednesday, he seemed like the man who might carry Australia to a competitive score. But he pushed to cover and took off only to be turned back by Brett Lee, and Rohit Sharma’s direct hit had Wade short despite his full-length dive.

Australia were dismissed with two balls to spare, when Doherty was run out thanks to sharp work from Suresh Raina. They had lost 4 for 10 since the start of the 19th over.

Australia’s innings had got off to a poor start with the early loss of David Warner, who was caught at deep midwicket for 8 when he skied a ball off Praveen Kumar. Shaun Marsh’s miserable summer continued with a second-ball duck, his limp prod outside off resulting in an edge to first slip, where Sehwag parried the ball up to Dhoni to give Praveen his second wicket.

It was an excellent way for India to begin, and they didn’t let the advantage slip. Now the question is whether they can carry some of this spark into the one-day series.

Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo.

Matthew Wade’s 72 and David Hussey’s all-round performance propelled Australia to 31-run victory over India in the first Twenty20 international of the two-match series at Sydney.

Daniel Christian removed Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja in his successive overs to take Australia into commanding position the first Twenty20 international against India.

Chasing 172 runs target, India crumbled as they lost five wickets inside 75 runs in the first Twenty20 international of the two-match series against Australia at Sydney.

Bowling change got the early reward for Australia as David Hussey struck in his first two overs to scalp Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma and left India struggling at 53/4 in 7.1 overs. Brad Hogg joined the party as he dismissed Virat Kohli for 22.

Gambhir and Kohli resurrected Indian innings as they have added 41 runs in 30 balls for the second wicket.

India got off to poor start as they lost Virender Sehwag in the first over. Sehwag, who smashed a boundary in his 3 balls stay, got a thick leading edge off Brett Lee that went to David Hussey at first slip.

Earlier, Matthew Wade’s 72 and David Hussey’s 42 powered Australia to post 171/4 in the first match of the two-match series.

Wade has been the star of Australian innings, who smacked five boundaries and three huge sixes in his swashbuckling knock that came in just 43 balls. Part time bowler Suresh Raina ended Wade’s blistering innings to give India vital breakthrough.

David Hussey also played useful knock, scored 42 runs in 30 balls with the help of one four and three sixes.

Australia lost Wade early when the play resumed after the rain has stopped play when the hosts reached 131/2 in 14.4 overs.

Matthew Wade reached his maiden Twenty20 international half-century with a six that also brought up Australia’s hundred in the 13th over.

R Ashwin had Travis Birt caught by Suresh Raina in the covers as Australia lost their second wicket in the tenth over in the first match of the two-match series.

R Vinay Kumar gave India the first breakthrough when he had David Warner caught by Raina in the covers.

Vinay bowled a fullish length delivery angling into the batsman, at 128.4 kph, Warner hopped back a bit to the leg side for the heave across the line but got a top edge. It flew high in the air and Raina took a regulation catch at covers.

Warner smashed two sixes and a four in his 14-ball 25.

The breakthrough came after Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and chose to bowl.

After winning the toss, Dhoni said that the pitch looked like a good wicket and it was good to know the target.

Australian skipper George Bailey said that he would have batted anyways and added that they are a very balanced side. Three debutants for Australia – Bailey, James Faulkner and Xavier Doherty.

The Indians would look to turn the table in their favour after a mediocre Test series and Dhoni has a talented pool of youngsters at his disposal.

Dhoni would be hoping for lady luck to smile on him in the first of the two T20 matches ahead of the tri-series, featuring hosts Australia and Sri Lanka.

Teams:

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Capt.), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Rahul Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, R Vinay Kumar, Praveen Kumar.

Australia: George Bailey (Capt.), David Warner, Matthew Wade, Travis Birt, David Hussey, Mitchell Marsh, Daniel Christian, James Faulkner, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Xavier Doherty.

Source: Times of India

A superb match needed a Super Over to split the teams and New Zealand prevailed to repay Brendon McCullum for his amazing century. McCullum became the second-highest scorer in a Twenty20 international with an unbeaten 116, but after Michael Clarke and Cameron White exploded in the reply the scores were tied at 214 after 40 overs.

A six-ball tiebreaker was required and the calm Tim Southee delivered another tight over to allow only six runs for White, David Warner and Brad Haddin. Shaun Tait’s waywardness, including two wides, assisted the locals and Martin Guptill finished the game with a four over point from the third legitimate delivery.

The hosts were upset by a meek performance in Friday’s one-sided defeat, but McCullum showed his might with an unforgettable 56-ball demolition on a small ground that was rocking at the start and the end. Things were much quieter as Clarke organised the chase with 67 from 45 and White provided some much-needed muscle with 64 off 26 in a pursuit that was almost perfectly timed. However, Clarke and White could only scurry two from the final ball when three were required, with Clarke run out well short of his ground.

Needing two off almost every delivery throughout the second innings, the Australians managed to stay on track after Warner departed for a McCullum-style 20 off 10. Haddin (47 off 37) and Clarke, who was travelling much quicker than his usual pace, were able to stay close to the rate so they required 125 from the final 60 balls.

James Franklin slowed things down briefly with the wickets of Haddin and David Hussey (10) before White’s brute force arrived. White warmed up with a six over cover off Daniel Vettori, then caressed an inside-out clearance in the same area and was dropped on the boundary attempting a third.

He then powered two fours and a six off Franklin before flicking Shane Bond into the spectators at square leg. The 13 that came from Bond’s final over left Australia wanting 36 off 18 deliveries, but the first of three magically controlled Southee efforts made it 30 from 12.

White survived a run-out and found two boundaries and a six down the ground off Jacob Oram to cut the margin to 12. In Southee’s final over the bowler showed the maturity of a 30-year-old, not a boy who is 21, by delivering more pin-point yorkers to keep his side in the game.

And he proved it wasn’t a fluke by doing it again in the Super Over. The result levelled the series and delivered Australia their first loss of their summer while setting up an intriguing five-match one-day contest beginning on Wednesday.

Despite the flurry of absorbing action at the end, it was McCullum’s fireworks over the first half of the match that were the highlight. He showered boundaries around the tiny stadium and the change in attitude left the Australians, who had rested Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson, wondering if there was any way to stop the run avalanche. They were able to slow it a couple of times, but McCullum carried his team through the loss of six wickets and achieved the side’s highest total.

His hundred came up in 50 balls, equalling the record of Chris Gayle, the only other century-maker in this format. It was achieved with a single to deep cover, at which point the batsman ripped off his helmet to take in the applause, but he was not finished and carried his bat. Nathan McCullum joined his brother at the end, getting 14 in a 50-run stand in 3.2 overs on an afternoon that stunned everyone.

The big crowd of 26,148 was sprinkled by McCullum’s eight sixes and he backed up with a dozen fours during the barrage. Four of the boundaries came with “McScoops” past or over the wicketkeeper, but that was nothing compared to the two sixes he managed to shovel behind himself off Tait. It was brave and brutal – one of the clearances off Tait came from a 155kph thunderbolt.

McCullum proved he wouldn’t be intimidated by Australia’s quick bowlers when he charged the third ball of the day from Tait (2 for 40) and bashed him for four through cover. There were 10 runs from the eventful over, which also contained the ugly bowled of the out-classed Peter Ingram for 0 and Tait sending a finger signal to McCullum.

In the second over McCullum planted a six through cover off Dirk Nannes’ opening delivery, was almost caught next ball top edging a pull, and quickly flicked him to fine leg for a boundary. The new-ball bowlers couldn’t match Friday’s performance as they gave up 42 in the first four overs.

McCullum ended up on his back after his first attempt to scoop Nannes over the wicketkeeper, but he managed it the second time, with the ball just missing Haddin on the way to the boundary. He followed up by unleashing a huge six to midwicket to show he could mix the unorthodox and the traditional. Nannes returned for the 16th over and McCullum enjoyed swinging him twice into the stands on the legside as the bowler went for 51 off four.

After losing the strike in the middle stages when some of his team-mates disappeared, McCullum focused by blasting a fierce straight four off Steven Smith and brought up his half-century in the same over when he pulled to midwicket. He dusted off the scoop to surprise Daniel Christian and then pulled him for six behind square – 57 of his runs came in that segment.

Gareth Hopkins (36 off 17) was the perfect ally for McCullum as they put on 68 in five overs to regain their explosive momentum. McCullum kept going till the end and had a chance to seal the game in the Super Over, but he was as happy as every other local when Guptill squared the series.

Peter English is the Australasia editor of Cricinfo.

It was a different country but the same result for Australia as they breezed to a six-wicket win over an out-classed New Zealand in the first Twenty20 in Wellington. After an unbeaten home summer the visitors started their tour with another convincing display built on very fast bowling and powerful opening batting.

New Zealand were knocked over for 118 by the speed of Shaun Tait, Dirk Nannes and Mitchell Johnson and their chances of defending the small total were basically extinguished as soon as David Warner and Shane Watson blasted 28 from the first two overs. The openers were dismissed quickly and Johnson’s promotion to No. 4 failed, dropping the visitors to 39 for 3, but the small target allowed them to take their time and the win came with 24 balls to spare.

David Hussey, who hit Nathan McCullum for three fours in a row, was the aggressor in the 67-run partnership with Michael Clarke, who accumulated calmly for 18 off 26. Hussey finished with 46 from 36 balls and left shortly before the end when he drove McCullum to cover. Cameron White ended the game with a four and a straight six off Martin Guptill in a strong sign-off.

Warner didn’t have a chance to try batting right handed, but he made an impact with his usual stance by introducing himself to Shane Bond with a lofted straight four and a six to square leg in the first six balls. The situation was worse in the next over for Daryl Tuffey, who was taken for 18 by Watson’s four fours and a two.

They both left with 19 – and strike-rates of more than 150 – after Warner was bowled trying to slog another six from Bond and Watson was lbw to Daniel Vettori, who brought himself on in the fourth over. Vettori is always a threat against Australia and they got a sign of what life will be like over the next month as he allowed 1 for 13 from four. Bond touched 150kph in his opening spell to join the pace party and finished with 2 for 32.

Johnson’s three early wickets left New Zealand at an uncomfortable 54 for 4 and the intervention of James Franklin, who collected a composed 43 off 42, was required to get them past 100. Only two other batsmen, Guptill (30) and Gareth Hopkins (21), reached double figures as the hosts were over-run.

Johnson, who finished with 3 for 19, joined in a frightening partnership with Tait and Nannes as the trio operated around 150kph. Tait and Nannes collected two wickets while Watson also chipped in with a couple of victims in a comprehensive performance from the attack.

Brad Haddin began the day in spectacular style when he dived to his right for a one-handed catch to remove the dangerous Brendon McCullum from the fourth ball. Johnson, the first-change, bowled Peter Ingram with his opening delivery to have the hosts 13 for 2 in the fifth over and he was also involved when Ross Taylor (9) was unlucky to be given out lbw by Billy Bowden. Taylor, a player who is so important to his side, was hit on the foot well outside off stump and departed at 3 for 33.

Finding the boundary was the hard thing for the home side and Australia’s tight bowling prevented a quick start and a competitive score. Guptill broke free a handful of times but was taken by Johnson after Watson ran back to claim a top edge at midwicket.

A quick stand of 50 in 5.1 overs between Franklin and Hopkins was crucial in gaining some momentum for the hosts, but they quickly fell back and were dismissed on the final ball of the 20th over. They will need to improve dramatically for the second match in Christchurch on Sunday if they are going to end Australia’s winning streak.

Peter English is the Australasia editor of Cricinfo.

Insiders said that the selectors had axed Akmal from the two T20 match series against England in Dubai, over suspicions that he deliberately dropped catches during the second Test match against Australia in Sydney.

Pakistan was in a commanding position in the Sydney Test match after bowling out Australia for a paltry 127 in the first innings but lost the match amazingly by 36 runs losing all wickets while chasing 176 runs.
“He (Kamran) is a suspect. Otherwise how can you leave out a player who had scored 64 from 33 balls against Australia in his last match,” The News quoted sources in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), as saying.

Sources said Akmal may be sidelined for the forthcoming ICC T20 World Championship, which is scheduled to be held in the Caribbean in May, if he fails to clear his name from the allegations.

This is not the first time that a Pakistani cricketer has been suspected of match-fixing.

Last October, National Assembly’s sports committee chief Jamshed Dast accused the Pakistan team of deliberately losing to Australia to knock old rivals India out of the Champions Trophy in South Africa. However, the committee later cleared the team of any wrongdoings.

In 2000, former Pakistan captain Salim Malik and medium pacer Ata-ur Rehman were found guilty of match-fixing by Justice Malik Qayyum. They were both banned for life following a year long investigation into the allegations.

The inquiry was launched in response to charges of betting and match-fixing against several of Pakistan’s top cricketers, including former captains Wasim Akram and Salim Malik, spinners Saqlain Mushtaq and Mushtaq Ahmed, and middle order batsman Ijaz Ahmed. (ANI)

David Warner hammered the second-fastest Twenty20 international half-century to hand Australia an eight-wicket win over West Indies and complete their dreams of an unbeaten summer. Warner raced to fifty from 18 deliveries, beating his own 19-ball effort from last season, as Australia reeled in the target of 139 with a ridiculous 50 deliveries to spare.

West Indies’ total looked semi-competitive until the first over of the chase when Warner and Shane Watson took 26 off Kemar Roach, who bowled too short and allowed Warner to swing through midwicket. There were three sixes in the over – as many as the visitors hit in their entire innings – and the contest was all but decided.

By the time Warner had cleared the boundary off Darren Sammy in the second over, he had 33 from eight deliveries and Yuvraj Singh’s 12-ball half-century record was conceivably in danger. He struck seven sixes in total, all in the midwicket to long-on region and including at least one off each of the six bowlers he faced, before he holed out for 67 from 29.

At the other end, Watson was so good that he too entered the list of quickest fifties, when he reached the mark from 26 balls, but he was utterly cast into the shadows while Warner was at the crease. Watson finished with an unbeaten 62 from 33 and after Brad Haddin fell with one run needed, the debutant Daniel Christian struck a four to complete the triumph.

The win ended the summer on a high for Australia, who since the introduction of ODIs in the 1970s had only had one other summer – 2000-01 – when they didn’t lose a match. Warner and Watson blazed home but the result was really set up by an outstanding effort in the field as they again caused problems for West Indies’ top order.

The debutants Ryan Harris and Christian grabbed two early wickets each and Steven Smith was everywhere in the field, producing one of the most memorable catches of the summer. The trouble started when Chris Gayle tried to flick Harris over square leg and top-edged to Smith at third man for 12.

Harris followed two balls later with Runako Morton, who edged to Cameron White at second slip for a golden duck. White’s catch was sharp but there was far better to come from Smith, who had impressed in the first game on Sunday with two athletic takes on the boundary.

He eclipsed those efforts with a leaping catch at deep midwicket to give Christian his maiden international wicket when Travis Dowlin’s heave off middle stump looked to be sailing for six. Dowlin was the man who appeared most likely to guide a West Indies recovery and he made an admirable 31 from 32 balls without ever truly finding perfect touch.

Dowlin needed more assistance from the middle order but Morton, Kieron Pollard, Wavell Hinds and Dwayne Smith at Nos. 3 to 6 all failed to reach double figures. Hinds fell victim to Australia’s slick fielding when he tried to get off the mark with a perilous single only to see White at point throw to Smith at the bowler’s end where the batsman was short.

There was a late recovery from Narsingh Deonarine (36 not out) and Sammy, who hit 26 from 11, but the inadequacy of their total was shown by Warner and Watson. It was a memorable way to end a summer of Australian dominance.

Brydon Coverdale is a staff writer at Cricinfo.

Anil Kumble has tipped defending champs India to retain the ICC World Twenty20 title as they have the most balanced side.

“In my opinion India have the best balanced side. If they play to their potential they will lift the Cup again. It’s a fantastic side and all the players in the team showed good form in the IPL. Playing at home England are strong while New Zealand and Australia also look good. It will be a most competitive tournament”, the former India skipper said here.

Kumble dismissed fears that the Indian players would be jaded after the tour of New Zealand followed immediately by the 35-day IPL in South Africa in the run-up to the World T20.

“It was known beforehand that there was just a week’s gap between the two events. As an international player it’s up to you to maintain your fitness,” the retired leg spin ace said when queried whether the fatigue factor, touched upon by team coach Gary Kirsten during the IPL, could be a concern.

Kumble rated the Indian bowling attack as well rounded, strong in the pace department and well supported by spinners Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha.

“In all formats having various options is good. It’s specially true about the shorter format of the game,” he said.

England conditions will be similar to SA

Kumble, who took over the reins of the struggling Bangalore Royal Challengers in the IPL from Kevin Pietersen of England and brought about a dramatic turn-around in the team’s fortunes by leading it to the final against Deccan Chargers, said he expected wicket conditions to be similar in England.

“The wickets in South Africa were on the slower side and I expect the wickets in England too to be similar, though perhaps helping the seamers a bit more,” said India’s highest wicket-taker in Test cricket.

Sehwag-Gambhir will do good

He also brushed aside concerns over the indifferent form of Delhi Daredevils and India’s opening duo of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in the IPL ahead of the T20 event in England.

“Viru was back in form in the semi final with a fifty and I expect Gautam Gambhir always to do well in England,” he said.

Admitting that it was perhaps a bit difficult for the International Cricket Council currently to carve out a window for the IPL, Kumble was optimistic this can be done once the ongoing Future Tours Programme of the world body runs out in 2012.

“IPL is a month and a half long and it may be difficult now. May be the ICC can look into it after the FTP ends in 2012 and work out an opening,” he said.

England’s Test captain, Andrew Strauss, will play no part in Middlesex’s Twenty20 Cup campaign, after it was decided by the England management that he should concentrate solely on first-class cricket ahead of the Ashes, which begins in Cardiff on July 8.

Despite his current fine form in both Tests and 50-over internationals, Strauss opted to stand down from England’s World Twenty20 squad because the format didn’t suit his accumulative style. Now, despite Middlesex being the reigning Twenty20 Cup champions, he will remain on the sidelines until the resumption of the County Championship on June 6.

“Andrew Strauss will not take part in Middlesex’s Twenty20 Cup campaign in order to focus on the longer form of the game ahead of the Ashes,” the England team director, Andy Flower, said in a press release.

Strauss is one of four players currently involved in the ODI series against West Indies who will be unavailable to their counties ahead of the forthcoming World Twenty20. The England new-ball pairing of James Anderson and Stuart Broad have also been told to rest, along with Matt Prior, who is not in the Twenty20 squad, but who damaged his right ring finger during the closing stages of the second Test in Chester-le-Street.

“Anderson and Broad will be rested from this week’s Twenty20 Cup fixtures due to their recent heavy workloads … against West Indies,” Flower said. “We believe they will benefit from a brief rest ahead of the ICC World Twenty20. Prior will be rested from the Twenty20 Cup as he needs to allow time for his injured finger to recover properly.”

Prior and Strauss will be available to Sussex and Middlesex respectively for their County Championship fixtures against Yorkshire and Essex, starting on June 6. For the remaining 13 players involved in England’s Twenty20 campaign, they will be permitted to turn out for their counties from Wednesday through till Friday, before joining up with the national squad on Saturday.

England’s ICC World Twenty20 squad

Paul Collingwood (capt, Durham), James Anderson (Lancashire), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire), James Foster (Essex), Robert Key (Kent), Dimitri Mascarenhas (Hampshire), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Graham Napier (Essex), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Owais Shah (Middlesex), Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), Luke Wright (Sussex).

Source: Cricinfo

Cricket fans in 218 countries have the chance to see the best players in the world in nation-versus-nation action as ESPN STAR Sports builds up for the big event in England

Men’s event likely to be most-viewed cricket tournament in history as women’s game will receive further profile boost

Commentary available in 10 languages in Europe through Eurosport including Russian, French, German, Polish and Turkish as well as many other languages around the globe

The ICC World Twenty20 2009 about to get underway in England will be broadcast in a total of 218 countries across six continents, it was confirmed today.

The 17-day tournament will feature 12 teams with all the top international players in the world taking part in nation-versus-nation action, and with tickets for the big event fast disappearing, fans who are unable to support their teams at the grounds will be afforded the best possible coverage courtesy of the ICC’s global broadcaster partner ESPN STAR Sports (ESS).

All 27 matches in the men’s event will be covered live by ESS while both women’s semi-finals and the final will also be beamed around the globe giving unprecedented exposure to women’s Twenty20 cricket.

In addition, 10 of the warm-up matches will also be televised live including the eagerly awaited India v Pakistan game, which will take place at The Oval on 3 June.

The commentary team includes some of the most insightful voices in the game including Nasser Hussain, David Lloyd, Sanjay Manjrekar, Harsha Bhogle, Alan Wilkins, Ian Bishop, Wasim Akram, Ranil Abeynaiyke, Athar Ali Khan, Ian Bishop, Simon Doull, Jeremy Coney and Kepler Wessels.

Also, following her highly successful stint commentating during the ICC Women’s World Cup earlier this year, former Australia batter Melanie Jones, twice a Women’s World Cup winner in 1997 and 2005, will join the team for the women’s matches.

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: “We expect the ICC World Twenty20 to be the most viewed cricket event in the history of the game, which is a huge achievement considering it is just the second-ever staging of the ICC World Twenty20.

“Apart from providing entertainment and an economic boost to the global game, the ICC World Twenty20 is one of the ways we are reaching out and spreading the message of cricket across the world.

“ESS’s unrivaled coverage of the event brings the game alive in millions of homes and helps to create an interest where there was none while reinforcing the passion where it already exists,” said Mr Lorgat.

ESS Managing Director Manu Sawhney said: “We are very pleased to bring top-class international cricket action to more than 100 million fans in more than 218 countries across the globe as the second edition of the ICC World Twenty20 kicks off in England next month.

“We remain committed to bring alive the game for fans and have lined up one of the most comprehensive and entertaining presentations possible that includes including high-definition coverage, innovative camera angles and some of the best experts from the world of cricket.

“We are confident of setting new benchmarks in the distribution of the game along with our partners across the globe.”

Former India batsman and ESS commentator Sanjay Manjrekar added: “The ICC World Twenty20 is where only the very best play against each other in a form of cricket that is redefining the entire sport.”

Former England captain Nasser Hussain said: “The first edition of the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa was a brilliant tournament. It proved that Twenty20 was not just a slog-fest but had plenty of top-quality cricket played in highly-pressurised situations which tested the skill and temperaments of the best players.”

In total there will be 28 cameras used as standard during each match of the event in three venues at Lord’s, the Oval and Trent Bridge. That is not including six Hawk Eye cameras that will give viewers an intimate perspective on all the key moments in the tournament.

In the United Kingdom, national broadcaster the BBC will show an extensive highlights package daily during the tournament, ensuring that the event will receive an audience on terrestrial television as well on ESS’s UK broadcast partner Sky Sports.

With teams representing European territories outside the UK, including Ireland and the Netherlands, Eurosport will also be showing 12 matches live on its normal feed with the remainder available on a pay-per-view basis. That will ensure cricket reaches the homes of millions of Europeans with multi-lingual commentaries being presented in 10 languages including, including Russian, French, German, Polish and Turkish.

Other languages covered off by commentary in Europe are Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Romanian and Serbian.

There will also be live ball-by-ball coverage of the event on radio and the internet while SNTV and Reuters TV will be providing regular news access to ensure anyone in the world who wishes to keep up to date with goings on in England can do so at the turn of a dial, a flick of the switch or click of a mouse.

Note: Prominent broadcasters include ART Prime Sports, who will beam the telecast in the Middle East and North Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia and Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen). ATN will show it in Canada, BSKYB will showcase the event in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. Caribbean Media Corporation will take the beam forward across the West Indies. Eurosport will telecast in Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, France, Monaco and the Commonwealth of Independent States including Russia. DirecTV (Willow TV) will bring the action to millions of fans in the USA. BTV (terrestrial station) will show it in Bangladesh, Hum Tum TV will cater for fans in Japan while ESPN STAR Sports will broadcast in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bhutan.

England spinner Laura Marsh has admitted she can’t wait to be involved in her side’s attempt to win the ICC World Twenty20.

Marsh, who was the leading wicket-taker at the ICC Women’s World Cup earlier in the year, will be hoping to repeat her excellent spin partnership with Holly Colvin, which was one of the key reasons behind Charlotte Edwards’ side triumph in Australia.

“We are really excited. We don’t often get the chance to play in front of big crowds and the chance of playing at Lord’s in the final, and Trent Bridge or The Oval in the semi-final, is a fantastic prospect and we can’t waited to get started,” said Marsh.

“We looked at this year and said it was a massive year with three major titles for us. To win the World Cup was very special but we only have done one third of the job. We are now concentrating on the World Twenty20 and if we win that it would be fantastic and something I would never forget.”

Marsh, who only turned to spin a year and a half ago after previously being a medium-pace bowler, admits that two months after beating New Zealand in the final, the reality of being a World Cup winner has hit her and she has enjoyed being able to inspire more people to play the game.

“The events have sunk in and we are really proud to have been part of a World Cup winning side. It has been good not to have had too much time to look back at the event and all of our focus is now on the Twenty20,” she said.

“Generally people if you ask them about women’s cricket they will know that we won the World Cup and we have put ourselves on the map a bit more.”

“I have just been to a local club for a primary school presentation and everybody was so excited to see an England player and one of the most special things is passing on your knowledge and inspiring young cricketers.”