Ever thought we’d use John Wright and rock music in the same sentence? Well we must, for the soft-spoken New Zealand coach is a keen guitarist and a fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In Bangalore on Friday for the Royal Challengers Bangalore-Pune Warriors IPL game, he was spotted pottering about a hotel lobby with a guitar.

“I’d have to say the Chili Peppers are my favourite band,” he told a Hindustan Times journalist. “I like their musical style.” And his favourite RHCP number? “It has to be Under the Bridge, that song is a classic.”

Fast bowler Wahab Riaz and batsman Asad Shafiq could do with a second look at their contract with the PCB. The new contracts include a clause on ‘no social networking sites while on tour’ but the pair must have failed to notice it. "There was no fine or anything, they were just told to not tweet anything. There is a ban on social networking tools under the revised player code of conduct on tours so both were breaking it in a sense. But as they weren't tweeting cricket-related stuff it wasn't a big issue," a board official told ESPNcricinfo. "To avoid confusion about whether or not they can tweet non-cricket related stuff, they've simply been told to not tweet at all."

Riaz and Shafiq have got off with a reprimand this time, but a repeat of the offence could lead to fines and a possible suspension. The new contracts also regulate players’ interaction with the media and curfew hours on tour, and disallow the hiring of unapproved agents.

For those worried about where to enjoy the once-in-a-generation (taxpayer-subsidised) millionaires’ party fear not, Lord’s is there for you.

Cricket’s most famous ground is promising a ‘street- style party’ on Friday April 29, not just to celebrate the third day of Middlesex’s Championship match against London-rivals Surrey but also the wedding between William Windsor and Kate Middleton.

The event will be screened live in the Harris Gardens, while the Lord’s Tavern will be offering a ‘special Royal Wedding fare’. There'll even be a ‘fabulously British’ set menu for the princely sum of £35 per head.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik last played for Pakistan in August 2010 in England and was even left out of their World Cup squad. So what does he do? He turns out to play club cricket in India. Malik, who is married to Indian tennis player Sania Mirza, has apparently been playing for Turf Cricket Academy in New Delhi for the past couple on months. “Malik was here as a TV expert for a channel during the World Cup,” Sachin Khurana, who owns Turf Academy, told the Hindustan Times. “He hadn't been getting an opportunity to play cricket, so he asked us if he could play. He practiced with us at Modern School, Barakhamba Road, and even played in local events.” Malik will be playing for them in a local Twenty20 tournament and even scored 123 off 57 balls in a game on Friday.

"Match practice is the best and back home in Pakistan, it's difficult to gather net bowlers for practice, even at the academy,” Malik told the Indian Express. “Good bowlers are usually busy playing matches and it had been quite some time I spent in Delhi, and jab koi yaar dost bula lete hai [when friends call] I come and play.”

The former England women's cricket captain, Baroness Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, has been granted the freedom of Wolverhampton, in recognition of her "eminent" services to her home city and to sport.

Heyhoe-Flint, who is also a vice-president of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, was presented with a scroll and casket at a ceremony in the city centre, and declared she was “thrilled to bits” with the honour.

She first came to prominence as captain of the England women’s team from 1966 to 1978, during which time she led them to victory in the inaugural Women's World Cup in 1973. She then became the first woman to sit on the MCC general committee, and is now a director of the ECB.

"I am really thrilled because all that I've done in Wolverhampton, I've done because I've loved doing it - helping all the various charities,” she said at the ceremony, which was led by the Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Malcolm Gwinnett.

It may enhance the viewing experience on television, but as far as some of the IPL’s players are concerned, the spider camera – a remote-controlled device suspended over the field from cables attached to floodlight towers – is a “distraction”. During the game between Mumbai Indians and Pune Warriors at the Wankhede, Sachin Tendulkar signalled for the camera to be moved away because it got too close a couple of times while he was batting.

“It was a distraction for Sachin for sure. When it is in front of you, it is definitely distracting because you are trying to concentrate on the ball,” Pune captain Yuvraj Singh said. “But when it is behind, it is fine. I don't think it should come in the way when you are batting or fielding. The one who is operating it should make it sure it doesn't come in front of the player. The guys organising the camera should be careful.”

And it’s not just batsmen who have an issue. Mumbai Indians allrounder Kieron Pollard reckoned the camera was a hindrance even for fielders. “Yes, it is a bit of a distraction. The camera is very closely placed and it comes in the peripheral vision of the fielders. It is important to take it away from the players at crucial times, especially when the situations are tight. It can be frustrating for players.”

No, Shane Warne has not had a facelift. Or so he tweeted on Saturday. “Questions regarding facelift and Botox are absolute rubbish,” he said on the microblogging site. “I am 86 kgs, lost 7 kgs and am close to being the fittest I have ever been.”

Warne put his new look down to a change in lifestyle. “I am also eating very healthily and am flattered that people think I look younger. I have worked hard over the last five months on fitness and lifestyle – it's far from a quick fix. Fitness and being healthy is now a daily habit.”

The only unnatural part to his transformation has been his pearly whites, but turns out they’ve been pearly for over a year now and we just didn’t notice. “Yes, had teeth whitened (18 months ago),” Warne said. And of course, a good moisturiser always helps, as Warne admitted: “New Estee Lauder moisturisers for my skin have made a big difference too.”

The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, has an unusual new exhibit lined-up. Swinging Away: How Cricket and Baseball Connect, an exhibit that unveiled on Sunday, is all about the relationship between the two sports – think their origins, history and cultural impact, as well as equipment used in iconic matches.

The exhibit, created in conjunction with the Marylebone Cricket Club, will be visited by Haverford College’s cricket team, the only university team in the US. While they’re at it, the team will play a few overs, giving those in attendance this weekend a first-hand taste of the gentleman’s game.

So just what could one expect to find on show? The collection includes uniforms and equipment belonging to the likes of New York Yankees’ Derek Jeter, Texas Ranger’s Bengie Molina, women’s baseball stars Robin Wallace and Charlotte Edwards, and Adam Gilchrist, Kumar Sangakkara, Shahid Afridi, Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood. Not to mention some of the oldest cricket bats alongside the recent experimental Mongoose bat, the MCC’s experimental coloured cricket balls and photos of John ‘Bart’ King, an iconic American cricketer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. And yes, the exhibit is on display till February 2012, so all you diehard cricket buffs have a chance to stop by on your next visit to the US.

Deccan Chargers' victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore in Hyderabad on Friday was more than just a win for the home team. Not only was it Deccan's first victory at home – they were on a 10-match losing streak in Hyderabad leading up to Friday’s game – it also helped in convincing the franchise owners that the venue was not jinxed for the home team. The team’s poor run of form at home was beginning to lead its management to believe that some Vaastu problem was responsible for their ill-luck. Vaastu Shaastra is an ancient Indian science of architecture and buildings which aims to harness the benefits of nature, its elements and energy fields within homes or workplaces for enhanced wealth, health, prosperity and happiness.

“After their loss against Rajasthan Royals [on April 9], there was a suggestion to drain the water in the swimming pool,” a Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) member told the Hindustan Times, “and fill it with sand since the pool is located in the south-west direction and a water body there is considered inauspicious.” Incidentally Deccan had conducted a hawan [sacred purifying ritual involving a fire ceremony] after the first IPL season in 2008 after the team lost all seven home games. “Had they not won now, we could have ended up spending a few lakhs on making a few changes in line with Vaastu Shaastra. Now we are saved of the expenditure,” the HCA official added.

Berlin’s only cricket pitch is under threat after city sports administrators deemed that stray cricket balls could be a hazard for passersby. The pitch at Körnerplatz, which was originally used by British troops more than sixty years ago, is now the home ground for nine local clubs with more than 100 players across two divisions. “I’ve never heard of anyone getting hit with a ball,” said Martin Haynes, chairman of the Berlin Cricket Club. “Though a few cars have been damaged, the likelihood of injury to a pedestrian is slim.”

Two insurers have already rejected coverage for potential damage suits, meaning that the city administration is liable for damages. “Thank God only vehicles have been damaged in the past, but in one case a ball went through a windshield, and we worry what could have happened if a person were standing there,” said Andreas Tosberg, head of the city’s central sports division.

“I have nothing against cricket,” added Tosberg. “If we can overcome the challenges to make it possible, then there will be cricket at Körnerplatz. It’s a beautiful facility, there’s no question about that.”

Haynes claimed that an alternative pitch at the nearby Maifield is unsuitable for a proper cricket match and potentially dangerous. With just weeks to go before the start of the local cricket season, the problem remains unresolved and, looking to raise support for their cause, the Berlin Cricket Kommittee has launched a campaign, including a Facebook page, to keep cricket at Körnerplatz.

Less is more. It’s taken three seasons of excesses and many heads rolling but finally the IPL bosses have realised the benefits of a stripped-down tournament, and we aren’t talking about the cheerleaders. The after-party’s over, the mid-over advertisements have been done away with and there are no more legions of commentators at each game. Now there are only three per match, who – as one of them tweeted – barely have time to get their laptops out. It’s yet another way the IPL has stamped its own identity as distinct from the World Cup, where the vast armies on duty meant that each commentator had little more than 15 minutes in the box. There is a downside, though, to the IPL’s three-man rule - more airtime per person means more chances of the dreaded product placement slipping in. But then we probably wouldn’t recognise the IPL, would we?

Former Zimbabwe opening batsmen Mark Vermeulen has had enough … of cricket. Vermeulen, 32, who last played for Zimbabwe in 2009, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket and decided to pursue a career in golf. Vermeulen, who played eight Tests and 43 ODIs for Zimbabwe, said he was fed up with the unprofessionalism in the game. “Everyone has been holding me back — the administrators and the umpires — so I have decided I can do something better with my life,” Vermeulen told Zimbabwe Independent. “I dreamt of playing in the national team again and representing the country in the Tests but I am quitting to pursue a career in golf.” Vermeulen will have to gain professional status in the game by winning an amateur tournament, and his first shot is the Zimbabwe Amateur Tournament on April 22.

Vermeulen has had a chequered career as an international cricketer – he was sent home during the second Test of the 2003 tour of England, had earlier refused to stop a ball at Hove because "it was too cold" and also had run-ins with the team manager. In 2008, he was cleared of arson due to mental illness after being on trial for burning down the Zimbabwe Cricket headquarters and academy in Harare in 2006. Vermeulen lost his contract with Zimbabwe domestic franchise Mountaineers in March after another instance of indiscipline. His relationship with the franchise reportedly broke down following a three-match suspension for angrily contesting two decisions in a Logan Cup match against Mashonaland Eagles at Mutare Sports Club last month.

Old age has its rewards – especially if you want to watch West Indies take on Pakistan and India free of cost during their upcoming tours of the Caribbean. West Indies recorded their first Test win in England between June 24 and 29, 1950, at Lord’s and it is in celebration of that win, that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), is offering free tickets to any fan who was born before June 24 1950. And this is how it works: anyone who was born before that date will receive two free tickets to any match of their choice. And if you happen to be born between June 24 and 29 in 1950 or any year prior to 1950 you will receive ten free tickets to any match of your choice during the West Indies-Pakistan or West Indies-India series.

“We want to give back to the fans who have been faithful to West Indies cricket over the years, those who have lived through the good times and the challenging times,” WICB event manager Cindy McLean said. “Did you live it? Win tickets!” is WICB’s slogan for the ticket giveaway campaign. West Indies take on Pakistan and India in a total of two T20s, ten ODIs and five Tests all across the Caribbean from April 21 to July 10. And if you don’t fall in that age group, well, there’s not too much to worry. Ticket prices for the series’ have been radically slashed – up to 85% in some cases – to make it easier on budgets; and if you are less than 16 years old, it's entry free for all games.

The 2015 World Cup logo is supposed to express a feeling of celebration and unity © ICC

Apparently, it is never too early to start a marketing campaign. While millions of Indians were celebrating their team’s World Cup win, cricket’s governing body unveiled the logo for the 2015 tournament to be held in Australia and New Zealand.

“This really brings it home to people in Australia and New Zealand that the countdown to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 has started,” Cricket Australia’s chief executive James Sutherland said in a statement.

The instructions to the agencies producing the logo were to create “both Australian and New Zealand cultural motifs so as to reflect the two indigenous countries’ cultural identities” in a “positive and harmonious way”, the statement said. The selected motifs were Maori Tohora, symbolizing toughness, pride and tribal culture, and Aboriginal journey tracks symbolising spirit of the land.

The result is a multi-coloured figure playing the pull that will, according to ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat, “gain recognition over the next four years as we use it in promotional, marketing and partner activations.” The World Cup is over. Long live the World Cup.

Napoelon would have been impressed. He's the man who said armies marched on their stomachs, but the Indian cricket team have managed to march (apologies for the martial metaphors) into the final of the world cup on empty tummies. Well almost. The Indians had gobbled down their first meal on the day of the semi-final only 15 minutes before the toss in Mohali.

In his last question at the media conference before the final, Dhoni was asked about the food scarcity encountered by the Indians on the morning of their most important match in the World Cup. Dhoni smiled ruefully, "That was one thing I didn't want to say," and then went on to explain what had happened. On the morning of the match, when the Indians went down for their usual 10am breakfast at their high-security Taj Hotel in Chandigarh, the team were told, Dhoni said by the hotel staff, "it would take more than an hour to serve your breakfast."

As the lone five-star deluxe hotel in Chandigarh, the Taj was packed to the gills on the day of the India v Pakistan semi-final with a high-security, high-priority guest list. It was the security protocol of the VIPs rather than their jumping the buffet queue that had led to this situation. The Indians then decided to travel to the ground to get what had fast become brunch, except when they turned up, the food in the dressing rom was not exactly they needed.

Dhoni said, before a packed room of astonished reporters, that the team had decided that they would have their first meal after the warm-ups. "These are the things which can distract you to some extent but what is important is what you can do about it... You may scream, you may shout but you won't get the food. So ... use the time in the best possible manner." The Indians warmed up, and ate their first meal before the toss and when Dhoni won it, the team were most grateful that most of them didn't have to run onto the field 45 minutes after eating.

The Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay, where the teams are now housed for the final, will be on high alert before the final - but it won't be about breakfast. "Unlike in Mohali, in Mumbai, there are quite a few big hotels and we have quite a few friends who will be ready to bring food in half an hour's time," Dhoni said.