No county games for Indian cricketers this season

LONDON - The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided not to allow contracted players turn out for English counties this season due to a hectic international schedule.The BCCI cited “heavy workload” of the national team this year, while revoking the no-objection certificate issued to star batsman Virender Sehwag for Northamtonshire.

Sehwag was given the all-clear to play for Northamptonshire a few days ago but the NOC has left the county shocked.“Northants Cricket were stunned by the news that just days after receiving the all-clear for Virender Sehwag to play for the county during the Twenty20 tournament, the Indian Board of Control have now revoked the NOCs for all of their players for this summer,” the club said in a statement on its website.

Northants chief executive Mark Tagg said: “I received an email out of the blue from the BCCI, which said ‘BCCI has (since) reviewed the international calendar of the Indian team during 2010 preceding the World Cup 2011. Considering the heavy workload of the Indian team during the year, it has been decided to revoke the NOC granted to all Indian contracted players, including Mr. Virender Sehwag’.”
source: http://blog.taragana.com/

Australia to change Sydney venue for T20s

Australia will play Twenty20 internationals at the 80,000-seat former Olympic stadium from the 2011-2012 season in a shift from the Sydney Cricket Ground, which has hosted international cricket in Australia's largest city since 1882.

A deal between the New South Wales state government and Cricket New South Wales will result in one Twenty20 international played in western Sydney for four years from 2011-2012, New South Wales state premier Kristina Keneally said Tuesday.The move is designed to attract larger crowds than is possible at the 46,000-seat SCG.

Cricket New South Wales chief executive David Gilbert said the shift would help to showcase the newest form of the game. "We look forward to staging exciting, world-class cricket in front of local fans, along with the visitors from around the world we expect these matches to attract," he said.

Matches at the 80,000-seat stadium, which was the main venue for the 2000 Olympics, could include Australia vs. India in 2011-2012, Australia vs. South Africa in 2012-2013, Australia vs. England in 2013-2014 and Australia vs. India in 2014-2015.

The Sydney Cricket Ground first hosted a test match in February, 1882 when Australia beat England by five wickets. The stadium has since been the traditional home of cricket in Sydney and has also hosted tennis, rugby union, rugby league and was also the main stadium for the 1938 Empire Games.
source: http://www.hindustantimes.com