Thread: Cricket news and inside stories 20/11/2012

ESPN Star hardsells Indo-Pak cricket series, doubles ad rates!

Broadcaster ESPN-Star Sports is hardselling next month’s India-Pakistan cricket series to advertisers at rates almost twice that of the popular India Premier League (IPL) even as many media buyers and advertisers are complaining that the rates are unreasonable.

India and Pakistan will play three one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches between December 25 and January 6 in their first bilateral series in five years. ESPN-Star Sports,which has the broadcasting rights for the series, is demanding INR 7,25,000 (Approximately SL Rupees 1,700,000) for 10 seconds of advertisement spot for the ODIs, and INR 900,000 per 10 seconds for the T20 matches, The Economic Times reported today quoting media-buying officials.

The rates are more than double that of INR 3,25,000 ESPN-Star demands for a 10-second slot for the India-England ODI series that will take place after Pakistan’s visit, they said. For India-England T20 matches, it is charging INR 600,000 for a 10-second ad spot.

This reflects the popularity and marketability of an India-Pakistan match. But some advertisers and media buyers say the rates are too high even for an India-Pakistan series.

Given that the two teams are clashing in a home series after a long gap, interest levels are high.

But unlike last time, the overall market is sluggish. Many brands are done with their festive campaigns and its the last quarter of the year, said Mac Machaiah, principal partner, client leadership, at Mindshare, the country’s largest media-buying firm owned by WPP Group.

When there’s buoyancy in the market, such rates fly. But not otherwise, he added. Some big advertisers, including top carmaker Maruti Suzuki and electronics major Samsung, said their advertising participation in the upcoming series is yet to be finalised.

"As all big cricket tournaments, we are definitely considering this one too. But if the rates are too steep, advertising on this series is not a must-do for us," Mayank Pareek, managing executive officer for marketing and sales at Maruti Suzuki, said. A Samsung spokeswoman said the Korean firm is considering advertising on the series, but has yet to take a final decision.

Some media buyers say hard bargains are already taking place. A top official of a leading telecom service provider and a big advertiser on cricket said rates would definitely have to be re-visited. Navin Khemka, managing partner at media buying firm ZenithOptimedia, which buys media for Reckitt Benckiser, said: "The series doesn’t have too many matches and the broadcaster would want to charge a premium... but the fact remains that the market situation is tough."

Sanjay Kailash, executive vice-president at ESPN Software India, however, said the rates are in line with expected viewership. India-Pakistan is a highly anticipated series. The two teams are meeting in a home series after a long time. Naturally, there is excitement among advertisers, he said. We are in talks with almost all leading advertisers, and at least 30% of those who’ ve shown interest are those who don’t generally advertise on cricket."

Kailash said the broadcaster has already tied up with a sponsor though he declined to mention the name. The broadcaster is hopeful of signing up two presenting sponsors and six co-sponsors.

Leading names including telecom firms Bharti Airtel, Nokia and Vodafone, electronics makers LG and Samsung, electric products firm Havells and cola makers Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are doing the rounds as key potential advertisers.

The last time Pakistan toured India was in 2007, when India won a three-match Test series 1-0 and a five-match ODI series 3-2. Since then, the two teams have met only in one-off matches in international tournaments like last year’s World Cup semi-final in Mohali and the Asia Cup in Bangladesh this March.

Morne Morkel warns Michael Clarke to expect short ball barrage in Adelaide

Australia captain Michael Clarke should expect a barrage of short balls in this week's second Test, according to South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel.

Clarke rescued his team in the drawn first Test in Brisbane with a brilliant unbeaten 259, forcing the tourists to re-think their strategy against him at Adelaide, traditionally the most batsman-friendly pitch in Australia.

Morkel said better use of the rising ball, and denying Clarke scoring singles, were part of South Africa'splanning.

The Australian skipper is the highest scorer in Tests this year with 1,041 runs and averaging 115.66.

"Any batsmen struggles a bit at first with the short ball so we will probably come up with game plans and start working on those sort of things," Morkel said.

"Definitely that is a plan to always use a short ball - you have got two short balls an over so why not use it We just need to use it in a clever way and see how we go from there.

"He played very, very well. If we can create more pressure and try and stop him from rotating strike that will be key."

Another issue for the Proteas bowlers in Brisbane was no-balls - they over-stepped 23 times.

Morkel was denied Ed Cowan's wicket because of a no-ball, though Australia also had problems - Peter Siddle and James Pattinson also lost wickets due to no-balls.

"It's a controllable," Morkel said. "It is something I personally have been working hard on. The stats show we have been bowling quite a lot of no balls over the past few Test matches and Test series so it's definitely a thing that we are targeting at the moment."

MS Dhoni unhappy with umpires despite India victory in first Test

India skipper MS Dhoni made a thinly-veiled attack on the umpires after their nine-wicket victory over England in the first Test in Ahmedabad.

India chose not to use the Decision Review System in the series, and that decision backfired on them as they had a number of confident and worthwhile appeals rejected by Aleem Dar and Tony Hill.
England vice-captain Stuart Broad believes DRS should be brought it in the remaining Tests, though he pointed out India would have benefitted more than the tourists had it been employed in Ahmedabad.

"It was hard work for the bowlers, especially if you are expected to take more than ten wickets to get the team out," Dhoni said.

He was not surprised England's second innings of 406 was a markedly better effort than the first, when they were skittled out for 191 on a fine batting track.

"There was something in the wicket initially and the spinners bowled really well in the first innings but as the game progressed there was a bit of low bounce for the spinners but not much turn so they had to work really hard," Dhoni said.

"Even if you misjudged the flight you still had time to adjust. Even if you edged one it was still unlikely to reach the slip area.

"It was about keeping one or two deliveries out, and you were set for the game. It was the last session on the second day and first session on the third day that really shifted the game in our favour."