Tendulkar is leading run-scorer in WC - news

New Delhi: Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar has notched up many records during the five World Cups he has played spanning over two decades. Tendulkar will be making his sixth World Cup appearance, the most by any player, in the mega event beginning Feb 19.

In 36 matches, Tendulkar has amassed 1796 runs at an average of 57.93 and tops the list of leading run-scorers in the World Cup. He has four hundreds and 13 half-centuries.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who led his team to two successive World Cup triumphs in 2003 and 2007, is second in the list with 1537 runs in 39 matches (average 48.03). Former West Indies captain Brian Lara is third with 1225 runs at an average of 42.24.

Retired Australian opener Adam Gilchrist has the highest strike rate of 98.01 followed by former Sri Lankan opener Sanath Jayasuriya (90.66) and Tendulkar (88.21).

Tendulkar also holds the distinction of scoring maximum runs in one World Cup, that came in the 2003 mega event in South Africa piling up 673 runs. India reached the final in that edition, but lost to Australia.

Matthew Hayden is second with 659 runs in the previous World Cup in West Indies.

Tendulkar also occupies the fifth place in that list on account of his 523 runs in 1996 World Cup in the subcontinent.

Tendulkar is third in the list of most centuries cracked, sharing the space with Sourav Ganguly, Mark Waugh and Ponting, who all have four hundreds.

Ganguly, however, tops the list having scored four hundreds in 21 innings, Tendulkar is third (35 innings) after Waugh (22 innings).

Source: Tendulkar is leading run-scorer in WC - news

Will Kolkata's Prince be Kochi king?

KOLKATA: Eleven days after the auctioneer brought down his hammer for the last time at IPL players' auction in Bangalore, a ray of hope has emerged for Sourav Ganguly, who was ignored by all the 10 franchises.

Team Kochi, which will be making its IPL debut in the ensuing T20 event, have belatedly realised their folly and are keen to take Ganguly on board. The Kochi management, who clearly showed no aptitude for team composition and failed to net a single capped Indian batsman other than VVS Laxman, have approached the Governing Council to allow them to sign the former India captain. However, they can do so only if the other nine franchises raise no objection to this out-of-auction deal.

The BCCI, on its part, has no objection. "If the franchises have no objection, why should we stand in any player's way to play in the IPL? However, there is no question of bending the rule or making an exception," said a Governing Council member.

IPL rules state that capped players put up for auction, can only be bought through an open bidding process. Ganguly, along with Mumbai captain Wasim Jaffer and Punjab pacer VRV Singh were the only three Indian players to remain unsold at the end of the two-day auction.

The onus is clearly now on Kochi bosses to convince the other franchises to let them take Ganguly on board. Having rejected the southpaw outright at the auction, it is hard to fathom why the other franchises would object to Kochi hiring Ganguly - unless, of course, they are bent upon keeping Dada away from IPL.

If the Kochi deal works out, Sourav can look forward to joining forces with his old KKR mates Brendon McCullum, Brad Hodge and Owais Shah and one-time Sri Lankan foes of Mahela Jayawardene and Muttiah Muralitharan.

For the moment, though, Ganguly is keeping his fingers crossed.

Source:- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/Will-Kolkatas-Prince-be-Kochi-king/iplarticleshow/7329908.cms