DUBAI // Steve Waugh, the former Australia captain, is poised to be unveiled as a key adviser and technical consultant to Kochi, the newly-formed Indian Premier League franchise. The batsman was approached by Harshad Mehta, the Dubai-based chairman of Kochi, earlier this month and discussions are at an advanced stage for Waugh to spearhead the team's maiden season in the expanded 10-team league next year.
"We are trying to get Steve Waugh to be a part of the team," Mehta said. "Waugh will be at a top position in the team with two layers of people below him." Mehta is also attempting to lure Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lanka batsman and leading scorer in the World Twenty20, away from Kings XI Punjab for next season. "I like Mahela personally and have a very good relation with him," Mehta said. "I was the first person to take him outside Sri Lanka to play in South Africa. My relation with him is over 20 years now. If he is available and if I have a successful bid, he will be part of Kochi team.".
Shanthakumaran Sreeshanth, who comes from Kerala, has already agreed to join the team from the Kings XI, according to Mehta. "He is the best bowler but not very mature," said Mehta. "He must have a target and everything will be good." With only four overseas players permitted in the starting XI, players from India, especially from Gujarat and Delhi, will form the nucleus of the squad. "We'll take lot of players from Gujarat and mostly we are taking from Delhi," said Mehta. "We are very keen on Delhi. They are very good fighters."
The name of the team, the manager and the make-up of the squad will all be announced by the end of the month. Controversy has surrounded the franchise since the owners bid US$333 million (Dh1.2bn) to be one of the two new teams. Lalit Modi's controversial tweets over the ownership structure of the franchise snowballed into a chain of events that led to him being suspended as the chairman and commissioner of the IPL by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Shashi Tharoor, the Minister of External Affairs, resigning.
Modi, who is responding to a series of show-cause notices, rebuffed Mehta's attempts to bring the Kochi team to the UAE, making Abu Dhabi their adopted home ground until the cricket stadium in Kochi was ready. Modi, according to Mehta, wanted to keep the league confined to India. @Email:pmenon@thenational.ae
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Fitness problems in men's tennis
Andy Murray - hip
Novak Djokovic - elbow
Roger Federer - back
Stan Wawrinka - knee
Kei Nishikori - wrist
Marin Cilic - adductor
BABYLON
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The%20US%20Congress%20explained
%3Cp%3E-%20Congress%20is%20one%20of%20three%20branches%20of%20the%20US%20government%2C%20and%20the%20one%20that%20creates%20the%20nation's%20federal%20laws%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20Congress%20is%20divided%20into%20two%20chambers%3A%20The%20House%20of%20Representatives%20and%20the%20Senate%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%C2%A0The%20House%20is%20made%20up%20of%20435%20members%20based%20on%20a%20state's%20population.%20House%20members%20are%20up%20for%20election%20every%20two%20years%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20A%20bill%20must%20be%20approved%20by%20both%20the%20House%20and%20Senate%20before%20it%20goes%20to%20the%20president's%20desk%20for%20signature%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20A%20political%20party%20needs%20218%20seats%20to%20be%20in%20control%20of%20the%20House%20of%20Representatives%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20The%20Senate%20is%20comprised%20of%20100%20members%2C%20with%20each%20state%20receiving%20two%20senators.%20Senate%20members%20serve%20six-year%20terms%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20A%20political%20party%20needs%2051%20seats%20to%20control%20the%20Senate.%20In%20the%20case%20of%20a%2050-50%20tie%2C%20the%20party%20of%20the%20president%20controls%20the%20Senate%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Library: A Catalogue of Wonders
Stuart Kells, Counterpoint Press
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Healthcare spending to double to $2.2 trillion rupees
Launched a 641billion-rupee federal health scheme
Allotted 200 billion rupees for the recapitalisation of state-run banks
Around 1.75 trillion rupees allotted for privatisation and stake sales in state-owned assets
Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
Company%20Profile
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Sleep Well Beast
The National
4AD
Zayed Sustainability Prize
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE finals day
Friday, April 13
Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
3pm, UAE Conference: Dubai Tigers v Sharjah Wanderers
6.30pm, UAE Premiership: Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Selected fixtures
All times UAE
Wednesday
Poland v Portugal 10.45pm
Russia v Sweden 10.45pm
Friday
Belgium v Switzerland 10.45pm
Croatia v England 10.45pm
Saturday
Netherlands v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Denmark 10.45pm
Sunday
Poland v Italy 10.45pm
Monday
Spain v England 10.45pm
Tuesday
France v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Wales 10.45pm
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
