'Final order on Kings XI's service tax soon'

Even after termination of the franchisee agreement with Kings XI Punjab by BCCI, KPH Dreams which owns the T20 team is still not out of trouble, it seems, as the Central Excise Department on Monday said it would pass an order within a month determining the company's total tax liability.

The department, which had slapped a notice on KPH Dreams for payment of Rs 5.38 crore as service tax, would be passing an order to decide the final tax liability within a month after giving the company a third and last opportunity for hearing on October 27.

"The order (for determining tax liability) will be passed within a month after hearing the final arguments of the company on October 27," Central Excise Commissioner HK Thakur told PTI on Monday.

The department had slapped a notice on KPH Dreams in February this year asking the company to pay up service tax to the tune of Rs. 5.38 crore for the payment received during the first season of IPL matches.

The department has already held two hearings of the company on September 22 and October 5. "During their replies filed with us, the company (KPH Dreams) claimed that it is not supposed to pay the tax. But we will go through their (KPH Dreams) replies before fixing the final tax liability," said Thakur.

Besides tax liability, the company may also face penalty on tax, which can be imposed by the Central Excise Department in its final order.

Under section 78 of Service Tax Act, the department has the power to impose penalty which starts from minimum amount of Rs 5,000 up to the maximum of 200 per cent of due tax.

According to the notice issued to KPH Dreams, out of Rs 5.38 crore, the department had raised a demand of Rs 3.89 crore as service tax for payment it received from BCCI-IPL in the shape of share of revenue, prize money and share of official beverages.

The department had asked the Kings XI franchise to pay Rs 9.17 lakh as service tax on Rs 74.24 lakh worth services provided by overseas companies under reverse charge basis.

Rs 1.02 crore service tax was demanded on the services provided by overseas players and another Rs 37.55 lakh was demanded on the payment of ticket sales classified under exempted services.

Besides facing tax liability, venturing into IPL has not been a profitable opportunity for the company as it suffered a net loss of Rs 25 crore in 2008-09.

Kings XI Punjab, which had committed to pay USD 76 million as franchise fee for over ten years, in January this year had said that it is hoping to break even by March 2011.

According to the shareholding pattern in the company, actress Preity Zinta and industrialist Ness Wadia have 23 per cent stake each while Karan Paul, Chairman of Apeejay-Surrendra Group, has 4 per cent equity stake. The balance 50 per cent is with M B Finmart and Windy Investments.

India Blues win Challenger series

Opener Tanmay Srivastava scored a run-a-ball 103 while talented Bengal batsman Manoj Tiwary smashed a quick-fire 84 to help India Blue win the NKP Salve Challenger Series with a thumping 140-run victory over India Green on Monday.

In reply to Blue's challenging score of 287 for seven, the Greens were all-out for 147 in 36.4 overs. India discard Rudra Pratap Singh took three for 20 for the winners.

For the second day in a row, India Blue captain Yuvraj Singh opted to bat after winning the toss.

Srivastava and in-form Shikhar Dhawan (44, 51 balls, 4x6, 1x6) added 67 runs before the Delhi batsman was caught by Ravichandran Ashwin at deep square leg off Abhimanyu Mithun's bowling.

Ajinkya Rahane (7) and Yuvraj Singh (12) were both dismissed off leggie Sarabjit Ladda. While Rahane mistimed a pull-shot, Yuvraj was done in by a googly.

At 118 for three, Srivastava was joined by Tiwary who was fluent from the onset, giving Srivastava a chance to score freely.

The centurion hit nine boundaries, while Tiwary hit seven fours and a six, adding 97 runs for the fourth wicket.

After Srivastava departed in the 41st over, it was Tiwary who single-handedly took the score close to 300 with some delightful strokes.

The Bengal batsman hit Mithun for a four and a six off successive deliveries before getting out.

When the Greens batted, they looked completely out of sorts as pacers Rudra Pratap, V Yomahesh and spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Piyush Chawla bowled well.

Robin Uthappa was the top scorer with 30, while S Badrinath, Kedar Jadhav, Aniruddha Srikkanth and Rohit Sharma fell cheaply.

Sachin's feats are time immemorable: Kapil

The way Sachin Tendulkar is piling up records after records, cricket fans will talk about his amazing feats for at least the next fifty years, India's World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev said on Monday.

Tendulkar on Sunday became the first batsman in the history of Test cricket to reach the 14,000-run mark during the second match against Australia.

"The present generation will only talk about Sachin for another 50 years. I am sure about it as not many people could reach the target that Sachin had set now. He is focused always and that is the reason that nobody could reach his standards," Kapil said.

Tendulkar ended the day on 191 not out but Kapil said he should have got his double hundred on Monday itself.

"I think, I am disappointed. He should have got a 200 today itself. He may be little tired towards the end. But the bowlers were also tired and Tendulkar could have taken them on and could have easily got a double hundred," Kapil said to a television channel.

While, Saurav Ganguly, one of Sachin's contemporaries, suspected that anyone in cricketing world could ever scale the number of records that this little master has achieved.

Former captain Ganguly was sure Tendulkar's records will remain etched in history and will never be broken.

"Sachin's marks, I doubt will be reached by anyone," he said.

On Tendulkar's marathon 308-run partnership with Murali Vijay (139), which was pivotal in a strong Indian reply to Australia's 478, Ganguly said, "Sachin came in at a very important position when we were 38 for 2. From there he and Murali played outstandingly to take India to a position that they are in now. Sachin's knock is so invaluable. Sachin and Murali's knocks were fantastic."

Tendulkar brings up 49th Test hundred

A day after Sachin Tendulkar became the first man to hit 14,000 runs in Test cricket, the maestro followed it up with a cracking 49th Test hundred and 95th ton overall on day three of the second Test against Australia here on Monday.

This is Tendulkar's 11th Test hundred against Australia and the sixth in nine Test matches this year. He was unlucky to miss out on a ton in the first Test at Mohali when he was dismissed on 98, but this time he made no mistakes.

Tendulkar brough up his hundred with a six off Nathan Hauritz. He took 157 balls to get to the mark.

Sachin, who came into the middle on Sunday after the fall of Rahul Dravid's wicket and with the scoreboard at 38/2, has already put up a 150-plus partnership with opener Murali Vijay, who played the anchor role to perfection.

This is Tendulkar's second Test hundred at this ground and he now shares the record for most centuries in Bangalore with Mohammad Azharuddin and Sunil Gavaskar.

Australian Ricky Ponting, the nearest competitor in this race, is in second place with 39 Test hundreds.

2nd Test: India reach 435/5 on day three

Sachin Tendulkar gave ample display of his class with a marathon unbeaten 191 as India restored the balance in the second and final cricket Test against Australia with a solid batting show on Monday.

Tendulkar notched up his 49th Test century and found able support from opener Murali Vijay (139) as the hosts reached a comfortable 435 for five at stumps on day three in reply to Australia's 478.

The 37-year-old batting maestro, who has been in stunning form in the last three months, played a virtual sheet anchor role to guide India not only to a safe position but from where they can push for a 2-0 series win.

Tendulkar and Vijay, who scored his maiden Test century, were involved in a record 308-run partnership for the third wicket which laid the foundation of India's spirited reply.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (11) was giving Tendulkar company at stumps on an eventful third day.

Milestone man Tendukar, who on Sunday became the first batsman to score 14,000 Test runs, today wrote another record to his name by making a 150-plus score for the record 20th time, surpassing Brian Lara's 19.

With two full days left, India will now try to gain a substantial first innings lead and try to put pressure on the Australians on the M Chinnaswamy track which is expected to provide some help to the slow bowlers.

Tendulkar and Vijay surpassed the 222-run mark, set by Allan Border and Kim Hughes in Chennai in 1979, as Australia went wicket-less in the first two sessions of the day.

Tendulkar, who is now approaching his sixth double ton, has so far struck 20 fours and two sixes in his 319-ball knock.

The Mumbaikar completed his 49th Test century in the morning session by smacking spinner Nathan Haurtiz for two consecutive sixes while Vijay got his maiden hundred with a single off paceman Peter George in the middle session.

Vijay, who replaced an injured Gautam Gambhir in the side, seized the opportunity as he contributed in India's fightback. His 139 runs came off 310 balls with 14 fours and two sixes.

India lost three wickets in the last session with paceman Mitchell Johnson (3/89) striking twice.

Johnson broke the third wicket stand by getting Vijay caught behind and then trapped debutant Cheteshwar Pujara three balls later.

Murali Vijay hits debut Test ton

Two years after making his debut against Australia at Nagpur, Indian opener Murali Vijay brought up his first Test hundred against the same opponents on day three of the second Test at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Monday.

Murali, who was picked for the playing XI in place of an injured Gautam Gambhir, made the most of the opportunity with Sachin Tendulkar guiding him from the other end. This is his seventh Test appearance.

The stylish right-hander played patiently to anchor India's innings after the hosts were two down for 38 runs on day two on Sunday. He played with a lot of patience and held one end up as Tendulkar launched into the attack from the other end.

The 26-year-old got a standing ovation from his teammates and the crowd and was hugged by Tendulkar, who himself earlier hit his 49th Test hundred.