DEC in partnership with Bushrangers, Vicspirit

Cricket Victoria has announced Dheeraj and East Coast (DEC) as partner of the Victorian Bushrangers and VicSpirit for the next three years.

The DEC Victorian Bushrangers will have the new sponsors’ name on their shirts in time for the upcoming Champions League Twenty20 tournament in India, while the DEC VicSpirit will compete in the expanded WNCL and new women’s domestic Twenty20 competition this season.

Via http://www.indiantelevision.com/mam/headlines/y2k9/aug/augmam97.php

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Pietersen to miss T20 Champions League

England batsman Kevin Pietersen, recuperating from surgery on his right Achilles heel, will miss the US $6 million Twenty20 Champions League in India from October 8 to 23.

Pietersen's name was missing from the 20-man list provided by his IPL franchise -- Bangalore Royal Challengers -- to the Champions League organisers on Thursday, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph.

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Indian Premier League, IMG part ways

It seems there is yet another controversy brewing in Indian cricket, and the latest casualty of the fight between the BCCI bosses and Lalit Modi is the International Management Group or IMG.

Via http://cricket.ndtv.com/cricket/ndtvcricket/storypage/ndtv/id/spoen20090107063/Indian_Premier_League,_IMG_part_ways.html

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Nannes looking forward to Victoria clash

Victoria will start their tilt at the lucrative Champions League Twenty20 tournament in October by coming up against their best bowler. Dirk Nannes was the only player to side with his away team for the tournament, but Victoria received US$200,000 as compensation for their man turning out for Delhi Daredevils when the outfits meet on October 9.

Via http://www.cricinfo.com/t20champions2009/content/current/story/422595.html

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Brian Lara set to become coach?

West Indies batting legend Brian Lara could make his coaching debut at this year's Champions League Twenty20. The former captain, who retired from international cricket in 2007, is in talks with the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board for a role as a coach in the October 8-23 event in India.

Via http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/top-stories/Brian-Lara-set-to-become-coach-/articleshow/4896897.cms

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'Champions League motivation can drive us to T20 glory'

SOMERSET all-rounder Pete Trego believes the incentive of Champions League qualification can drive Somerset to Twenty20 Cup glory. The Cidermen won through to finals day after a tense bowl-out in the quarter-final against Lancashire at Old Trafford.

They now face Kent in the second semi-final of the competition’s showpiece finale at Edgbaston on August 15 with Sussex and Northamptonshire going head to head in the other.

via http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/sport/4532008._Champions_League_motivation_can_drive_us_to_T20_glory_/

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Gibbs chooses Deccan Chargers over home side

South African opener Herschelle Gibbs will play for the Deccan Chargers in the Indian Champions League Twenty20 series rather than his home team Cape Cobras, which is also participating in the tournament.

Gibbs' agent Donne Commins told the Afrikaans daily Beeld in Jo’burg that the player would be available for the IPL side and Cape Cobras will be compensated because Gibbs would not be available to play for them.

Via http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Gibbs-chooses-Deccan-Chargers-over-home-side/497868

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Novelty factor gives Champions League T20 an edge, feel media planners

When it comes to cricket, marketers can’t get it wrong. After the success of Season 2 of the Indian Premier League (IPL), followed by the T20 World Cup, activity is now building up around the innovative T20 format Champions League, which will commence from October 8, 2009. exchange4media finds out more about the marketing activities and expectations from this tournament.

In September 2008, ESPN-STAR Sports (ESS) had bagged the global commercial rights for Champions League T20 for 10 years bidding an amount of $975 million. The deal is also said to have given ESS the exclusive rights for all the matches in the inaugural Champions League Twenty20 season, which is scheduled to be held from October 8-23, 2009 and through the 10 years. The 16-day League will have a total of 23 T20 matches. The tournament would be played across three venues – Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad. Airtel has been recently roped in as the title sponsor for a five-year period.

Via http://www.exchange4media.com/e4m/news/fullstory.asp?section_id=3&news_id=35491&tag=31198&pict=0

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Champions League to be christened the Airtel Champions League Twenty20

In a historic first, Airtel, Asia’s leading integrated telecom services provider, today signed up as the Title Sponsor of Champions League Twenty20 for a period of 5 years starting with the inaugural season in 2009. Airtel signed the deal today with ESPN STAR Sports, the commercial partners of Champions League T20.

The first edition of the Champions League will be played in India starting October 08, 2009. A total 12 teams from 7 test playing nations will participate in the inaugural edition. The 16 day league will have 23 Twenty20 matches.

Via http://naknews.co.in/newsdet.aspx?22788

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Champions League Twenty20 fixture released

The Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) Governing Council today announced the match schedule for the prestigious tournament, which will be played in New Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore from October 8-23, 2009.

The inaugural edition of the Champions League Twenty20 will see 12 domestic teams compete for the ultimate accolade; Twenty20’s best of the best.

The 12 teams will initially be divided into four groups of three teams each. The initial groupings for the 2009 Champions League Twenty20 are as follows:

GROUP A	GROUP B	GROUP C	GROUP D
A1 Deccan Chargers (India)	B1 NSW Blues (Australia)	C1 Royal Challengers Bangalore (India)	D1 Delhi Daredevils (India)
A2 ECB2 [TBD]	B2 Diamond Eagles (South Africa)	C2 Cape Cobras (South Africa)	D2 Victorian Bushrangers (Australia)
A3 Trinidad & Tobago (West Indies)	B3 ECB1 [TBD]	C3 Otago Volts (New Zealand)	D3 Wayamba (Sri Lanka)

Via http://www.sportsaustralia.com/articles/news.php?id=5887

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