Aussie fans responsible for firealarm prank on English team

The Australian cricket team fans nicknamed 'The Fanatics' have claimed responsibility for a firealarm on Friday morning that left the English cricket players out in their PJ's.

The alarm at the Radisson Hotel went off at 4.30am on Friday leading to the evacuation of the cricket team and the other guests. Two fire engines searched the premises for the source of the alarm and the English team were left outside for upto 20 minutes.

"Yes it was one of our guys who did it as a bit of a prank," Mr Livingston, head of the Fanaticssaid yesterday. "I got a text message after it happened, its good old fashioned Aussie high jinks."

The prank seemed to have good effect as the English were all out for 102 on the first day.

Tendulkar aims for 15000 test runs and World Cup win

Sachin Tendulkar has revealed that he is not content with the runs he has scored and is aiming for 15000 tests runs. He has also set his eyes on winning the 2011 World Cup.

He also has a dig at former Australian coach John Buchanan, who recently wrote about Sachins shortcoming against the short ball. "It is only his opinion; John Buchanan doesn't have to be right all the time. If I couldn't handle short deliveries, then I wouldn't still be scoring runs. Maybe he needs to change his opinion. There must be something very wrong with all the bowlers around the world that they have allowed me to score so many runs."

He also said that Virender Sehwag comes closest to his style of play. He is not thinking about retirement yet saying he will know when its the right time to go and wont have to be dragged away.

Champions League Cricket 2009 Schedule

Groups -
A - Deccan Chargers (IND), Trinidad & Tobago (WI) and Runner up from England
B - Eagles (SA), New South Wales (AUS) and Winner from England
C - Cape Cobras (SA), Otago (NZ) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (IND)
D - Delhi Daredevils (IND), Victoria (AUS) and Wayamba (SL)

Venues -Hyderabad - Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad
Delhi - Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
Bangalore - M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

Schedule -
Thu Oct 8- Group C - Royal Challengers Bangalore VS Cape Cobras at
Bangalore at 20:00 PM local (night)

Fri Oct 9 - Group B - Eagles VS New South Wales at
Delhi at 16:00 PM local

Fri Oct 9- Group D - Delhi Daredevils VS Victoria at
Delhi at 20:00 PM local (night)

Sat Oct 10- Group C - Cape Cobras VS Otago at
Hyderabad at 16:00 PM local

Sat Oct 10- Group A - Deccan Chargers VS T2 at
Hyderabad at 20:00 PM local (night)

Sun Oct 11- Group B - New South Wales VS T1 at
Delhi at 16:00 PM local

Sun Oct 11 - Group D - Delhi Daredevils VS Wayamba at
Delhi at 20:00 PM local (night)

Mon Oct 12 - Group A – T2 VS Trinidad & Tobago at
Bangalore at 16:00 PM local

Mon Oct 12- Group C - Royal Challengers Bangalore VS Otago
Bangalore at 20:00 PM local (night)

Tue Oct 13 - Group D - Victoria VS Wayamba
Delhi at 16:00 PM local

Tue Oct 13 - Group B - Eagles VS T1
Delhi at 20:00 PM local (night)

Wed Oct 14 - Group A - Deccan Chargers VS Trinidad & Tobago
Hyderabad at 20:00 PM local (night)

Thu Oct 15 - League B - C1 VS D2
Bangalore at 20:00 PM local (night)

Fri Oct 16 - League A - A2 VS B2
Hyderabad at 16:00 PM local

Fri Oct 16 League A - A1 VS B1
Hyderabad at 20:00 PM local (night)

Sat Oct 17 League B - C2 VS D2
Bangalore at 16:00 PM local

Sat Oct 17 League B - TBC VS TBC (C1 VS D1)
Bangalore at 20:00 PM local (night)

Sun Oct 18 - League A - TBC VS TBC (A2 VS B1)
Hyderabad at 16:00 PM local

Sun Oct 18 - League A - TBC VS TBC (A1 VS B2)
Hyderabad 20:00 PM local (night)

Mon Oct 19 - League B - TBC VS TBC (C2 VS D1)
Delhi at 20:00 PM local (night)

Wed Oct 21 - 1st semi-final - Winner B VS Runner up A
Delhi at 20:00 PM local (night)

Thu Oct 22 2nd semi-final - Winner A VS Runner up B
Hyderabad at 20:00 PM local (night)

Fri Oct 23 - Final - TBC VS TBC
Hyderabad at 20:00 PM local (night)

Champions Trophy 2009 schedule

Since the ALP is almost certainly gone to dumps this year, what better to focus on than the Champions Trophy. After a year of delays its finally set to roll out on the 22nd of September.

It will be a very short tournament this time around. Only 15 matches will be played at two venues.

Teams wil be divided into two groups, the top two from each group will proceed to the semies.

Group A - Pakistan, West Indies, India and Australia
Group B - South Africa, Sri Lanka, England and New Zealand

Since there are so few games, there is very little margin for error.

Here's the schedule

Tuesday 22 September -
South Africa v Sri Lanka (B) at SuperSport Park, Centurion

Wednesday September 23 –
Pakistan v West Indies (A) at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Thursday September 24 –
South Africa v New Zealand (B) at SuperSport Park, Centurion

Friday September 25 –
England v Sri Lanka (B) at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Sat September 26 –
Australia v West Indies (A) at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Saturday September 26 –
India v Pakistan (A) at SuperSport Park, Centurion

Sunday September 27 –
New Zealand v Sri Lanka (B) at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Sunday September 27 –
South Africa v England (B) at SuperSport Park, Centurion

Monday September 28 –
Australia v India (A) at SuperSport Park, Centurion

Tuesday September 29 –
England v New Zealand (B) at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Wednesday September 30 –
Australia v Pakistan (A) at SuperSport Park, Centurion

Wednesday September 30 –
India v West Indies (A) at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Friday October 2 –
1st Semi-Final - A1 v B2 at SuperSport Park, Centurion

Saturday October 3 –
2nd Semi-Final - B1 v A2 at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Monday October 5 –
Final - TBC v TBC at SuperSport Park, Centurion