Chevrolet Beat Diesel launched in India

The Indian arm of US auto maker General Motors finally launched the much-awaited diesel version of Chevrolet Beat Diesel in Kochi.

Hatchback Beat has been doing pretty well since it made its Indian debut around two years back. Consumers have for long been demanding a cheaper diesel variant of the popular vehicle.

Launching the diesel variant, GM India President & MD Karl Slym said, “Offering a diesel engine developed for Indian consumers in our most popular model is a momentous achievement for GM India.”

The Beat Diesel comes equipped with 1.0 XSDE SMARTECH Engine, which has been developed purposely for India market by the Bangalore-based GM Technical Centre in partnership with GM Power-train Europe.

The specifically designed engine has a peak power output of 58.5PS art the rate of 4000rpm and peak torque output of 150PS at the rate of 1750rpm.

The all-new diesel vehicle also features sophisticated common rail fuel injection, Turbocharger with intercooler, advanced intra torque boost, gas charged rebound tuned suspension and Feather light Electronic power steering.

The Beat diesel’s mileage has been certified at 24 KMPL.

The Beat Diesel, which is available in numerous colors, including Green cocktail, Olympic White, Misty Lake, Caviar Black and Super Red, comes in 4 variants, PS, LS, LT and LT option, with price tags ranging between Rs.
5,27,989 and Rs. 6,73,149.

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Malinga announces retirement from Test cricket

Sri Lankan speedster Lasith Malinga, whose sling-arm bowling action and devastating yorkers proved to be a nightmare for batsmen the world over, on Friday announced his retirement from Test cricket because of a "long-standing degenerative" knee injury.

Accused of choosing the cash-rich IPL ahead of national duties by his own cricket Board, the 27-year-old Malinga said that he would continue to be available for ODIs and Twenty20 games for his country.

The surprise announcement from Malinga, regarded as the fastest bowler produced by Sri Lanka till date, is being interpreted as a move to put an end to the selection dispute with his cricket establishment which wanted him to return from the IPL for a rehabilitation programme.

"Although I am sufficiently fit to play both ODI and T20 cricket, I have a long-standing degenerative condition in my right knee that needs to be carefully managed," Malinga said in a statement.

"The condition relates directly to the chronic knee injury I sustained playing for Sri Lanka in Australia back in February 2008, an injury that prevented me from playing ODI cricket for 16 months," he added.

Malinga, who pulled out of Sri Lanka's upcoming Test tour of England citing fitness woes, has been leading the wicket's tally for Mumbai Indians in the ongoing IPL.

His decision to pull out of the country's Test tour irked Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) officials, who found it "awkward" that he was continuing to play in IPL though he was not fit for national duty.
Malinga clarified that the condition stops him from playing in the Test format only.

"The injury was a career-threatening injury and my orthopaedic surgeon was of the opinion that given his experience with other professional athletes in Australia I was very fortunate to play again.

"I have since been advised by the national team physiotherapist and my orthopaedic consultant that my condition will deteriorate when fielding or bowling for prolonged periods," he said in the statement.

"I did try to return to Test cricket after a three-year absence last year (against India) following requests from the team management and the selectors, but it left me unfit nursing severe knee pain for two months", Malinga said.

"I have realised that the heavy workload of Test cricket, which requires a fast bowler to be able to bowl more than 15 overs, sometimes on consecutive days, could lead to permanent injury. I have carefully considered my options and have decided that not playing Test cricket will help me achieve my goal of representing Sri Lanka in the 2012 World Twenty20 and the 2015 World Cup," he said.

Malinga, known for his funky hairstyles, has taken 101 wickets from 30 Tests at an average of 33.15 and three five-wicket hauls. He enjoyed more success in the ODIs in which he has 127 wickets from 84 matches at an average of 26.38.

Malinga made his Test debut against Australia at Darwin in 2004, while the Colombo match against India in August last year remains his last.

He has been the pick of the Mumbai Indian bowlers in the ongoing IPL with 11 wickets so far from four matches and has really excelled with his toe-crushing yorkers. He has also made quite a mark with his bowling at the death.

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Knight Riders buys Gambhir for a record $2.4 million

Left-handed opener Gautam Gambhir was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a record $ 2.4 million (for each year) on the first day of the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction in Bangalore on Saturday.

England's Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff, who went for $ 1.55 million each in 2009, jointly held the record for the previous highest price. The players were signed up by the franchises for a two-year period. This could be enhanced by an additional season if the cricketer and the franchise reached an agreement.

New entrants

The auction, before IPL Season-4, included new entrants Pune Warriors and the franchise from Kochi, making it a total of 10 teams.

On a day when the Indian players dominated, big-hitters Yusuf Pathan and Robin Uthappa were purchased by KKR and Pune Warriors respectively for a whopping $ 2.1 million each. Mumbai Indians won stroke-maker Rohit Sharma for $ 2 million, while Delhi Daredevils claimed all-rounder Irfan Pathan for $ 1.9 million. The influential Yuvraj Singh was picked up by Pune Warriors for $ 1.8 million. These were the top six successful bids for the day.

Smooth-stroking Sri Lankan batsman Mahela Jayawardene was the most expensive foreign buy on day one — he was won by the Kochi franchise for $ 1.5 million. Yet this amount was lesser than the $ 1.6 million Royal Challengers Bangalore paid for a fringe Indian cricketer in Sourabh Tiwary.

There was no Pakistani player listed in the auction.

Gayle, Lara unsold

Significantly, power-hitter Chris Gayle, the legendary Brian Lara and the iconic Sourav Ganguly remained unsold. Interestingly, the franchises did not display any interest in Graeme Swann, among the leading contemporary spinners, and probing swing bowler James Anderson. Both represent a resurgent England side that emerged triumphant in the ICC World Twenty20 in West Indies last year.

The availability of some of the overseas players during the IPL was among the factors which determined bidding by the franchises

If any of the franchises expresses interest in any cricketer who missed out on day one, his name can come up in the auction again on Sunday.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK), holder of both the IPL and Champions League titles, lost spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan (signed up for $ 1.1 million) to the Kochi franchise but succeeded in buying back off-spinner R. Ashwin ($ 850,000), S. Badrinath ($800,000) and Michael Hussey ($ 425,000). CSK had earlier kept its four leading players (M.S. Dhoni for $1.8 million, Suresh Raina, $ 1.3 million, M. Vijay, $ 900,000 and Albie Morkel, $ 500,000) using up the maximum available limit of $ 4.5 million for retaining players without auction from a total of purse of $ 9 million.

After day one, Royal Challengers Bangalore spent $7.95 million out of $9 million, the most by a franchise in this auction so far.

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England wins the Ashes series by beating Australia by 3-1

England clinched its first Test series victory in Australia in 24 years by wrapping up the fifth and final match by an innings and 83 runs on Friday to take the Ashes series 3-1.

The Sydney Cricket Ground triumph gave England an unprecedented third victory by an innings in a single series against Australia, which has been condemned in the domestic media as the country’s worst ever Test team.

It was also the first time since 1978—79 that England had won back—to—back Test matches in Australia and the first time since 1987 that the English have won a Test series Down Under.

England captain Andrew Strauss praised his squad, which humiliated an Australian lineup which only four years ago swept the Ashes 5—0 at home.

“We came over here desperately wanting to win the series. In Melbourne we retained the Ashes, but in Sydney we really wanted to finish with a bang,” Strauss said. “We’re delighted with what we’ve done. We’re certainly going to enjoy this evening.”

It was just a matter of time on Friday for the series to be wrapped up on the last day, with England only requiring three wickets and Australia having no chance of levelling it.

Steve Smith (54 not out) and Peter Siddle (43) prolonged Australia’s resistance for an hour around a couple of suspensions for rain, but Graeme Swann broke the 86—run, eighth—wicket stand when he had Siddle caught on the boundary by Jimmy Anderson.

Anderson (3—61) then had Ben Hilfenhaus (7) caught behind to collect his third wicket for the innings. Chris Tremlett (3—79) picked off No. 11 Michael Beer (2), just as the trumpet player for the Barmy Army started “The Last Post” for the Australian team, to finish it off before lunch.

In one of the few highlights for Australia, young all rounder Smith raised his second Test half century with a stylish late cut to the boundary off Anderson.

Critics have called for a complete overhaul of Australian cricket, starting with the administration and the national team.

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