South Africa Thrashed Sri Lanka in T20 Worldcup 2012

South Africa topped Group C after skipper A B de Villiers led them to a 32-run victory over Sri Lanka in a rain-curtailed match of the ICC World Twenty20 here today.

South Africa rode on De Villiers' 13-ball 30 to post 78 for four after the match was reduced to a seven-over-a-side affair. In reply, the Sri Lankans were restricted to 46 for five as the Protea bowlers took centrestage at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium.

The loss meant Sri Lanka will enter the Super Eight stage as the second best team from the group.

Besides de Villiers, Hashim Amla (16), Faf du Plessis (13) and JP Duminy (12) chipped in with important runs to lay the foundation for a comfortable win, after being put in to bat.

In what was the first international T20 match between the two sides, the hosts always had a tough task at hands after the Proteas set a stiff target. It became even more difficult after the Lankans lost openers -- captain Mahela Jayawardene (4) and Tillakaratner Dilshan (0) -- cheaply.

The Sri Lankan batsmen simply failed to find their ground, even as Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Jacques Kallis came up with tremendous bowling efforts to restrict the opponents.

The bowlers managed to tightened the noose further and the likes of Dilshan Munaweera, Kumar Sangakara (13) and Thisara Perera (1) could never get the momentum going.

Steyn finished with impressive figures of two for 10 from as many overs.

Earlier, South Africa also did not have an ideal start as Nuwan Kulasekara dismissed opener Richard Levi (4) in the very first over, when Dilshan Munaweera took a brilliant diving catch going back from mid on.

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9:48 AM

IPL gives South Africa board turnover of over USD 11.4 m

The staging of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in South Africa early this year helped the Cricket board there record a turnover of more than USD 11.4 million for the 2008/2009 season.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) had initially budgeted for a loss of nearly USD 10 million, the board's Treasurer Hentie van Wyk said at its annual meeting in Johannesburg.

Van Wyk said the CSA made an operating profit of nearly USD one million as a result of stronger negotiations, bigger broadcast deals, increased sponsorships and the board's successful hosting of international tournaments.

He said the CSA now has a healthy cash reserve of USD 21 million and had enjoyed "one of its most successful season during 2008/2009".

The favourable variance to budget was mainly due to interest received on increased cash balances, fee income related to the Champions League, IPL-related income, increased sponsorship and international broadcast revenue, he said.

"In many aspects, our positive financial results reflect the benefits to cricket of improved structures, expertise and management at all levels," Van Wyk said.

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11:09 AM

Champions Trophy unveilled in South Africa

MUMBAI: As the top eight-ranked ODI teams in the world prepare to descend on South Africa next month, the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy 2009 was officially launched in Johannesburg yesterday.

Apart from pushing his side closer towards ultimate glory in the event, there is an extra incentive for individuals to excel during the ICC Champions Trophy. Each man of the match will win an IWC watch worth $8,500.

As a brand in luxury timepieces, IWC Schaffhausen says that it has been setting standards in technological development and highly complicated precision watch-making since 1868.

Beyond its Haute Horlogerie timepieces, IWC says that it has often related to the inspiration exuded by sporting heroes and has launched several limited special editions of timepieces that are soaring heroes in their own right.

The company CEO Georges Ker says that IWC's values of precision, perfection and technical competence are mirrored in the man-of-the-match concept.

There will be 15 winners of the man-of-the-match award who will receive an IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph Automatic. The dial of the mechanical chronograph with day and date display is reminiscent of an aircraft cockpit says the company.

The product also has a soft iron inner case for protecting against magnetic fields, a power reserve of 44 hours and water-resistance to 6 bar.

In addition each member of the winning team will win a ICC Champions Trophy winners’ jacket.

The prize-money on offer has grown four-fold since 2006 and is now worth a total of $4 million. The winner will receive $2 million, the runner-up will earn $1million with the two beaten semi-finalists taking home $400,000 each. Those teams that finish third in their groups will each win $100,000.

The action begins on 22 September with the Proteas in action against Sri Lanka in a day-night encounter at Centurion (the location for the women’s world cup final of 2005) and it will end with a day-night final at the same venue on 5 October.

ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat said the event would be a showcase of the very best one-day cricket has to offer. “This ICC Champions Trophy is quite different and more exciting compared to all the ones that went before.

“Effectively, it is in one location with two world-class venues at The Wanderers and Centurion. It is a short, sharp event with just the top eight-ranked ODI teams taking part in international competition”.

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10:54 AM