Gayle's 22nd T20 hundred in vain in CPL run feast
Basseterre (St Kitts and Nevis), Sep 12: Chris Gayle's 22nd T20 hundred went in vain as St Kitts and Nevis Patriots beat Jamaica Tallawahs in a high-scoring Carribean Premier League game. Gayle's hundred helped Jamaica set a massive target of 242 but St Kitts managed to chase it down with an over and a ball to spare.
This is the second highest successful chase in the history of T20 cricket, with the highest being Australia's 245/5 against New Zealand in Auckland last year. It is the fourth highest second innings total in the shortest format of the game. The match equalled the record for the most number of sixes in T20 games with 37 maximums being hit by players from both sides.
Gayle smashed 116 from just 67 balls in an innings that included seven fours and 10 sixes. He shared a 162-run stand with Chadwick Walton, who scored 76 off just 36 balls.
However, hosts St. Kitts came out all guns blazing in the second innings. Openers Evin Lewis and Devon Thomas took them past the 80-run mark in the first five overs. Lewis scored 53 off just 18 balls in an innings that included six sixes and three fours.
After the fall of the openers, Laurie Evans and Fabian Allen continued the assault. The pair put up 76 runs between them in just 40 balls. Allen kept his calm despite St Kitts losing three wickets within two overs between the 10th and 15th overs. He then found an able partner in Shamarh Brooks, and by the time the latter was dismissed in the penultimate over by Andre Russell, St. Kitts needed just 15 to win off 11 balls.
Campbell ticked off the deficit in that over itself with a six and two fours off the last two balls.
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Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah slams 'evil forces' for misleading claims in mining lease row
Bengaluru, Apr 9 (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday alleged that several attempts were being made by "evil forces" to create confusion over the renewal of mining leases.
His statement came after activist H Ramamurthy approached Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, seeking a sanction to prosecute the Chief Minister in a mining-related case.
Ramamurthy claimed that mining approvals were granted at throwaway prices to nine firms involved in illegal mining, resulting in a loss of over Rs 5,000 crore to the state exchequer.
“It has come to light that in 2015, during his tenure, Sri Siddaramaiah allegedly granted ‘in-principle approval’ and deemed extension to nine private firms engaged in illegal mining,” the activist claimed.
“The renewal of these licences was reportedly done at throwaway prices, causing a significant loss of over Rs 5,000 crore to the state exchequer,” he added.
In response, Siddaramaiah said in a statement that multiple attempts had been made to create confusion over the mining lease renewal issue.
“Such misinformation has been circulating since I assumed office. Certain malicious forces are continuously trying to mislead the Raj Bhavan,” he alleged.
Under the MMDR Act, 1957—as it existed prior to 2015—lease renewals were applicable for 20 years. As per this provision, the government had granted only conditional in-principle approvals to obtain forest clearance for the renewal of mining leases, Siddaramaiah explained.
He added that on April 12, 2015, the central government amended the MMDR Act through an ordinance.
Following several stages of verification, it was concluded that the conditional approval letters issued to eight companies on February 9, 2015, for lease renewals were not valid.
These approvals were subsequently cancelled, and action was taken in accordance with the amended Act.
Siddaramaiah said that after reviewing the deemed extension proposals submitted by the Mines Department, the state government cancelled one case without considering it for a deemed extension, in accordance with a Supreme Court order.
In the remaining seven cases, deemed extension letters were issued with conditions—including submission of statutory forest and environmental clearances, a no-dues certificate, and compliance with the government's decision based on final investigation reports by agencies such as the CBI and the Special Investigation Team on illegal mining.
"Of these seven companies, two were not granted mining rights as they failed to submit the required statutory documents. Of the remaining five, three were granted mining lease rights during the BJP regime in 2020 and 2021," the Chief Minister added.
The remaining two cases were granted conditional deemed extension of mining lease rights through supplementary agreements in 2016 and 2018, he added.
“Therefore, in all these eight cases, the government did not incur any financial loss. Not a single piece of ore was extracted during this period,” Siddaramaiah said.
The Chief Minister claimed that similar cases had earlier been filed by opposition parties and individuals in various forums, but the complaints were closed as they were found to be baseless.
“After about 10 years, this case is being exhumed with political malice. I appeal to the intelligent people of the country not to believe the evil political conspiracies that are trying to poison their minds over a matter that has no substance,” he said in the statement.
