Cricket chief call fixing ‘sad and disappointing’
The head of cricket’s governing body Tuesday called match-fixing “sad and disappointing,” but denied that his organization has allowed the sport to be corrupted and said players must help protect the game. International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat added he would be “at a loss for words” if the undercover sting by a British newspaper accusing some Pakistan…

Read more on AP via Yahoo! Sports

Legal blow for IPL cricket chief
A court in India rejects suspended Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi’s plea for an independent panel to probe allegations against him.

Read more on BBC News

ICC chief hints at Test championship
International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat has hinted England could play host to an inaugural Test championship in 2013.

Read more on Gulf Times

Soon after the great success of test series opposing Bangladesh, now India is taking against South Africa in the first match test match from 6 February 2010 and will settle by the 3rd ODI on 27th Feb 2010.The test match is today itself and is going to start in a couple of minutes. The agenda which has been set up for the two matches and 3 ODIâ??s stands as follows –

1st Test: India v South Africa at Nagpur
Feb 6-10 (09:30 local, 04:00 GMT)
2nd Test: India v South Africa at Kolkata
Feb 14-18 (09:30 local, 04:00 GMT)
1st ODI: India v South Africa at Jaipur
Feb 21 (14:30 local, 09:00 GMT)
2nd ODI: India v South Africa at Kanpur
Feb 24 (09:00 local, 03:30 GMT)
3rd ODI: India v South Africa at Ahmedabad
Feb 27 (14:30 local, 09:00 GMT).

The venue was already decided to play the test match.It will be played at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur. The match has been started at 09:30 local, 04:00 GMT. The pre decided venue is very appropriate for the test match. The pitch is very good for fast batting, as itâ??s quite dry and non-muddy. As usual India lost the toss and South Africa got the chance for batting at first chance.

In the first test match India has introduced Saha, Badrinath and M Vijay alongside South Africa. Laxaman and Rahul dravid are not included in this match. Rohit Sharma is too not playing as he has been injured while practicing.

Itâ??s very nauseating to know that Rahul dravid will not be playing. It seems that India is standing on a crucial stage as its mere players are not playing some due to injury and the other too due to injury only. Another disappointment stands for Yuvraj Singh; he too is out of the team, OH!! Again due to the same problem, Injury, wrist injury. Notwithstanding batting section India is not in a good shape in bowling section too. Sreenath again has been injured .The off spinner bowler Harbhajan Singh is the chief who can now make something foe our Indian cricket team. Bhajji world has set a proof that Bhajji will never ever cast down populaces. The other two initial playersâ?? ohja and Mishra are not so experienced to rely on.

The players playing from India are –

V Sehwag, G Gambhir, M Vijay, SR Tendulkar, S Badrinath, Mahendra Singh S Dhoni( Indian captain and w/k), WP Saha, Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, A Mishra, Ishant Sharma

South Africa team -
GC Smith( captain), AG Prince, HM Amla, JH Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, MV Boucher (W/k), DW Steyn, WD Parnell, M Morkel, PL Harris.

Specific details of the match â??

Umpires â?? SJ Davis (Australia) and IJ Gould (England)
TV umpire â?? AM Sheba
Match referee â?? AJ Pycroft (Zimbabwe)
Reserve umpire â?? S Rao

Now, along the bowling side the only chief Harbhajan Singh (the team spirit) is the standing player. It could not be predicted but I hope India may win the match. No doubt, South Africa has come with an efficient strength but still they do not have any quality spinner and playing a match In India against India and winning without a good spinner, would be simply a dead dream. On contrary India has an outstanding bowler (Harbhajan Singh) and efficient captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, which may attain to win. Therefore, my good wishes to all the standing players of both the teams.

IPL Kochi owners meet Kerala chief minister
The owners of the newly-acquired Indian Premier League (IPL) Kochi franchise Wednesday called on Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan to seek the government’s support in their efforts to build and organise the team.

Read more on Calcutta News

Modi to sue English cricket chief for defamation
Lalit Modi, the suspended chairman and commissioner of the Indian Premier League (IPL), is suing Giles Clarke, chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), for defamation on ‘unfounded charges’ that he was behind a planned unofficial Twenty20 league in England.

Read more on Calcutta News