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Monday,
January 6, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Indians’
confidence shattered: Wright Despondent
Laxman ready to wait for four years Aussies
face rare home defeat Waugh back
in saddle after hitting ton |
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South African cricket captain Shaun Pollock holds the series trophy up after winning the
second Test match against Pakistan in Cape
Town on Sunday. — Reuters photo
Viswanath
adds insult to injury IA take
on Punjab cops in final Sporting
edge out JCT, enter semis Srichaphan
wins Tata Open
Nett
double by Kanika Punjab
eves win kho-kho title Ludhiana
win hockey title The Ludhiana hockey team poses with the trophy after winning the Prithipal Singh Punjab State Senior Hockey Championship in Ludhiana on Sunday.
— Photo Inderjit Verma
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Indians’ confidence shattered: Wright
Wellington, January 5 “The trouble is some of them have lost their touch and their confidence is gone with it,” said Wright. “But we can’t afford to lose our focus any longer.” Indians have batted like novices in the present series and have raised 200 only once in over a month of engagements showing little clue against seaming and bouncing deliveries. “They have to concentrate very hard on playing down the wicket and bat through those 50 overs. This is where all my energy is engaged at the moment,” said Wright. “In these conditions, it’s a test of your fighting character, stickability and determination to stay out there — it’s not about scoring runs, it’s staying at the wicket that matters.” Wright made a mention about the fourth one-day international at Queenstown yesterday where the visitors folded up for just 122 runs in 43-odd overs on a good batting track. “It was a 220-run wicket. We knew that and got the message in pretty quickly to the boys in the middle that 200-220 would be a good score on it. “If we could consistently get 200 on these wickets, it would have been a reasonable score but it’s not happening.” Wright also wasn’t sure if there was any improvement in the performance of the bowlers considering the kind of wickets they have had on this tour. “It’s hard to judge whether there has been a huge improvement in the bowling. But to be fair to them, it’s been tough on the bowlers. They have been needed to continually go out there with nothing to bowl at.” Wright found encouragement in the bowling form of Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan though he said the latter was overpitching a bit at present. “Nehra is not too bad. We probably got to look at one or two fields that Zaheer is bowling to. He’s over-pitching it a little bit and we need him to fire as well.” Wright said though he enjoyed coaching the team of a nation which is the greatest in the cricketing world though it hasn’t been pleasant at all in recent weeks. “It’s not been enjoyable. I’ve always been very proud to have been given the opportunity to be the Indian coach and I think it’s the greatest cricketing nation in the world. “I was pleased with the efforts of the team, the development of this team throughout this year but we certainly have come to a bit of a stop here.
PTI |
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Dalmiya
disappointed
KOLKATA: Cricket Board (BCCI) president Jagmohan Dalmiya on Sunday expressed disappointment at the poor performance of the Indian cricket team in New Zealand and said he was trying his best to revive the team’s morale by tough talking as well as words of encouragement. “I am very disappointed. Everybody is disappointed at their performance,” Dalmiya told newspersons here. Asked to comment on India’s continued failure on the tour, he said in a bid to bring back the team to its winning ways, “sometimes I indulge in hard talking and sometimes encourage them so that the players do not get nervous and play their natural game”. The team has already lost the seven-match one day series going down in all the four matches so far. They had earlier lost the Test series 0-2.
PTI |
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Despondent Laxman ready to wait for four years
Wellington, January 5 Laxman is the only player of the current team besides uncapped Rakesh Patel to be dropped from the 15-member Indian squad for the upcoming tournament in southern Africa. But the stylish batsman said though he was disappointed, he was hopeful of making a comeback. “I was a standby in 1999 and this time I am out of it altogether,” he said. “But I know I have it in me to succeed in one-day cricket.” Laxman was face-to-face with this grave moment of his career in the closing hours of last year when he learnt Punjab’s Dinesh Mongia had replaced him in the squad for the mega event. Suddenly, his epoch-making 281 against Australia at Eden Gardens early last year and the honour of playing the fifth best innings of all times, seemed a distant memory. Laxman’s best has always been reserved for team’s bleakest moments — his 167 against Australia at Sydney in 2000 when all seemed lost; the epic 281 against the same team which turned what could have been an innings defeat into a miraculous victory; centuries against the West Indies at Antigua and Eden Gardens when defeats were a probability — he has often been India’s last defence against odds. “There is little doubt I am extremely disappointed, even shocked,” Laxman said. “I was working towards the World Cup and hoping I could contribute towards the team’s success,” he said. Laxman (28) is cricket’s biggest gentleman — a shy, almost apologetic young man of elegant manners who wears a smile at the worst of times as he does now in this extremely dark moment of his career. Laxman was bewildered at his omission after what he did against the West Indies in a home series in November last year. “I did fairly well in India’s last one-day engagement,” said the batsman from Hyderabad. “I was the highest run-getter and happy at this opportunity afforded to me.” Laxman showed himself in extremely good touch in that series striking three 50s from six completed innings and finishing with an aggregate of 312 at 52.00 — the best performance by an Indian batsman in the series. “This was the first complete one-day series I had in a long time. The first complete run since the series against Australia at home in 2001 when again I was the top run-getter.” Laxman made a reference to the series against Steve Waugh’s men at home where he cracked his only one-day hundred and totalled 291 from five games at 58.20 - yet he never has been an automatic starter in India’s one-day line-up. “I was given only one game in the West Indies and another during the England tour last year. But I always take it in my stride and try to give my best.” He made a pointed reference to his match-winning 87 against Sri Lanka in 2001 when he played despite an injured knee and paved the way for India’s entry into the final of the tri-series also involving New Zealand. “I got a match-winning 87 playing with a knee injury in Sri Lanka. I believe I can play both forms of game and have proved it in whatever opportunities I have got.” Laxman refuted suggestions he is not quick between the wickets and his fielding is a liability in the one-day arena — deficiencies which could have cost him his World Cup berth. “There was only one misjudgment between me and Rahul (Dravid) in Ahmedabad last year, otherwise my running between the wickets has been good. “It is one area where I have worked really hard. It’s definitely improved and the results were beginning to show. “My fielding has improved too. I am not below par I have not the slightest of doubt,” said Laxman. “Adrian (le Roux, the trainer) has helped me a great deal whenever there are no games. I’ve been working on it as I am doing with other aspects of my game.” Laxman has often been criticised for his lack of footwork especially on bouncing, seaming pitches which has often been his undoing. “I agree I have to improve on my footwork but nobody is perfect.” “Once you settle down, everything gets into place. It’s only the initial stage that’s the problem. I am really not bothered about such things but it would be helpful if I’m moving my foot straightaway,” Laxman said. “I’m definitely more selective in my shot-selection, that’s something which I have been working on after the South African series in 2001 especially in the third Test where I got out to the cut shot in both the innings. “Since then, I have been working on it and trying to occupy the crease more instead of getting a quick 30-odd runs. I’m now trying to occupy the crease and play session by session.” Laxman was aware that his two failures at No. 3 position in the first two games of the present one-day series against New Zealand did not help his cause. “I think I missed out in the first two games. It’s been tough personally on these seamer friendly wickets. But I will take it in my stride. “I still would love to go out at No. 3 because that’s the spot I’ve always batted in my career.”
PTI |
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Aussies
face rare home defeat
Sydney, January 5 Nasser Hussain’s men, outclassed by the Australians in the previous four Tests of the series, are on the verge of a tremendous victory having set the world champions an historically out-of-reach 452 runs for victory. Australia, who have dominated world cricket in recent seasons, last lost a Test match at home to England in the fourth Boxing Day Test in Melbourne in December 1998 by 12 runs. England, who declared their second innings at 452 for nine off 125.3 overs, made giant inroads into the vaunted Australian batting lineup in the 20 overs to stumps, removing Justin Langer (3), Matthew Hayden (2) and Ricky Ponting (11) cheaply. At close today, Australia were trying to keep their heads above water at 91 for three with nightwatchman Andy Bichel, battling a fractured finger to reach his highest Test score of 49 not out and Damien Martyn on 19. Australia, needing 361 runs more to win, face a desperate rearguard to bat out a minimum 90 overs tomorrow to save the match with fine conditions forecast. Yet again Australia’s top order batsmen failed to handle the pressure conditions exerted by England carrying over from the memorable last morning of the fourth Test when chasing 107 for victory they lost five wickets before recovering to win. They failed twice again here. Michael Vaughan smashed the flat Australian bowlers, clearly missing the wicket-taking experience of injured champion pair Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, to finish with 183 — his eighth century in his last 12 Tests. Vaughan appeared unlucky to be given out lbw to Bichel ending a six and a half hour vigil, occupying 279 balls and including 27 fours and a six. Vaughan and Hussain eclipsed a three-day-old ground record for the third wicket with a 189-run stand. Mark Butcher and Hussain had broken the previous 66-year-old English record of 129 for the third wicket at the ground with their 166 in the first innings on Thursday. Lee dismissed Hussain for 72 with a faint edge to Adam Gilchrist which had the English captain shaking his head in disbelief at the decision. Lee finished with 3 for 132 off 31.3 overs and legspinner Stuart MacGill took 3 for 120 off 41 overs. Hussain called his last two batsmen in when Lee began bowling menacing short-pitched deliveries at tailender Steve Harmison, who crashed four fours in his spirited unbeaten 20. As Australia came out to bat late today they faced the prospect of defying Test history to topple England. The highest winning chase in Test cricket history is India’s 406 for four to beat the West Indies in Trinidad in April 1976, while no team has scored more than 276 in the last innings to win an SCG Test. Langer, Hayden and Ponting fell to lbw decisions. Andy Caddick got Langer and Ponting, while Hoggard dismissed Hayden. SCOREBOARD England (1st innings): 362 Australia (1st innings): 363 England (2nd innings): Trescothick b Lee 22 Vaughan lbw b Bichel 183 Butcher c Hayden b MacGill 34 Hussain c Gilchrist b Lee 72 Key c Hayden b Lee 14 Crawley lbw b Gillespie 8 Stewart not out 38 Dawson c and b Bichel 12 Caddick c Langer b MacGill 8 Hoggard b MacGill 0 Harmison not out 20 Extras
(b-9, lb-20, w-2,
nb-10) 41 Total (for 9 wkts decl, 452 125.3
overs) Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-124, 3-313, 4-344, 5-345, 6-356, 7-378, 8-407, 9-409. Bowling: Gillespie 18.3-4-70-1, Lee 31.3-5-132-3, MacGill 41-8-120-3, Bichel 25.3-3-82-2, Martyn 3-1-14-0, Waugh 6-2-5-0. Australia (2nd innings): Langer lbw b Caddick 3 Hayden lbw b Hoggard 2 Bichel batting 49 Ponting lbw b Caddick 11 Martyn batting 19 Extras (lb-4, w-2, nb-1) 7 Total (for 3 wkts, 20 overs) 91 Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-5, 3-25. Bowling: Hoggard 5-0-17-1, Caddick 9-0-55-2, Harmison 5-1-13-0, Dawson 1-0-2-0.
AFP |
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Waugh back in saddle after hitting ton Sydney, January 5 The 37-year-old Australian skipper scored an unforgettable century to celebrate becoming only the third player to score 10,000 Test runs with an emotional innings in the fifth Ashes cricket Test against England here on Friday. The ‘Ice Man’ of cricket played the innings of his life against the backdrop of mounting speculation about his immediate playing future. Waugh’s 102 was his 29th Test century equalling cricket immortal Don Bradman’s Australian record. “Nothing has changed in regards to Stephen,” chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said today. “I said before this Test that he had our support through the Sydney Test and that he would be judged on form after that. “The comment still stands. It’s up to Steve to let us know what his plans are.”
AFP |
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SA beat Pak, take Test title
Cape Town, January 5 South Africa won the series 2-0, taking them ahead of Australia on points average on the ICC log. Fast bowler Makhaya Ntini ensured an early finish after Pakistan started the day on 184 for five, still 184 short of South Africa’s first innings total of 620 for seven. Ntini, who was named Man of the series, took two wickets in the first five overs of the day, trapping Kamran Akmal leg before for four before having Faisal Iqbal, Pakistan’s last recognised batsman, caught at first slip by South African captain Shaun Pollock. Mornantau Hayward had Pakistan captain Waqar Younis leg before when Waqar went back on his stumps to the fast bowler. Pakistan’s woes in what was a dismal tour were epitomised when Saqlain Mushtaq was run out after a mid-pitch mix-up with Mohammad Sami. Gary Kirsten fielded at midwicket and threw in to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher, who had plenty of time to lob the ball to bowler Ntini as both batsmen converged on his end. Ntini finished off the match by having Mohammad Zahid caught by Pollock at first slip. Ntini took four for 33 and had match figures of eight for 95, taking 13 wickets in the series. South Africa’s win was set up by their massive first innings total of 620 for seven declared in which Man of the Match Herschelle Gibbs (228) and Graeme Smith (151) put on a South African record 368 for the first wicket. South Africa became Test champions ahead of Australia despite losing in two series to the former champions last season. South Africa had superior results in India and West Indies and have played series against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, the two lowest-ranking teams, while Australia have still to play against the minnows.
South Africa (1st innings): 620-7 dec Pakistan (1st innings): 252 Pakistan (2nd innings): (overnight 184-5) Umar c Boucher b Pollock 67 Elahi c Dippenaar b Ntini 0 Y Khan c McKenzie b Kallis 2 Inzamam st Boucher b Boje 60 Youhana c Kallis b Boje 50 Iqbal c Pollock b Ntini 11 Akmal lbw b Ntini 4 Mushtaq run out 9 Younis lbw b Hayward 9 Sami not out 9 Zahid c Pollock b Ntini 0 Extras: (lb-1, nb-3, w-1) 5 Total: (all out, 59.1 overs) 226 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-9, 3-130, 4-130, 5-184, 6-190, 7-203, 8-216, 9-221. Bowling:
Pollock 12-5-32-1, Ntini 15.1-2-33-4, Kallis 6-1-34-1, Hayward 11-3-44-1, Boje 15-0-82-2.
AFP  |
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Viswanath
adds insult to injury Cape Town, January 5 But there was more heartache after the game as the players went home empty-handed after taking 70 minutes longer than allowed when bowling all day on day one on Thursday and infringing again on the second day as South Africa reached a massive 620 for seven declared. The Pakistanis’ match fee depends on seniority and status but ranges from an estimated £ 500 ($800) to £ 4,000 ($6,400). |
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IA take on Punjab cops in final New Delhi, January 5 In the other semifinal, Punjab Police outplayed Border Security Force 2-1. CRPF shot into the lead through a penalty corner conversion by Balkar Singh in the 19th minute but the airmen shrugged off the reverse to roar back into the game. Forward Samir Dad latched on to a through pass by veteran Mukesh Kumar five minutes before half time to level the scores 1-1 at the break. It was no looking back for Indian Airlines as their skipper Dilip Tirkey converted both their penalty corners in the 53rd and 64th minutes of the second half to help his side to a 3-1 victory. Star-studded Punjab Police had an easy outing against the BSF as they went into the break with a 1-0 lead, thanks to a opportunistic penalty corner conversion by forward Gabbar Singh. The cops consolidated their position soon after the break when Olympian Baljit Singh Dhillon converted a penalty corner off a rebound in the 36th minute. BSF scored a consolation goal in the 49th minute through a Peter Tirkey penalty corner, but the cops maintained their narrow lead till the end to squeeze into the final.
PTI |
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Sporting
edge out JCT, enter semis New Delhi, January 5 Army XI were given a good turn by Vasco Club of Goa, who inflicted a crushing 3-0 defeat on Indian Telephone Industries, Bangalore to spoil the latter’s chances. ITI needed to beat Vasco to pip Army XI for a place in the semi-final from Group C. In their eagerness to score goals, ITI ended up conceding three, as each of their moves was countered with a sudden counter attack by Vasco, who slotted in three goals in the second half, when they fully exploited the exposed defence of ITI, to emerge trumphs. Rui Wanderlei scored Vasco’s first goal in the 62nd minute while the last two goals were struck home by substitute Anthony Fernandes and Santa Singh during injury time, to seal ITI’s fate. In the edge-of-the-seat Group A match, watched by the biggest-ever audience in this edition of the Durand Cup, Mohammedan Sporting stunned JCT with a fourth-minute goal. Striker Dependu Biswas flicked in after Abdul Latiff Seriki headed down the ball from the left flank. Before JCT custodian Mansuru could react, the ball had wound its way into the goal box (1-0). Try hard as they did, particularly in the second half, JCT just could not beat the last line of defence, especially Mohammedan Sporting goaltender Imran Khan, who is also the skipper of the team, to get the equaliser. JCT required only a draw against Mohammedans to qualify for the semis, having beating TFA in their first match. But Mohammedans matched JCT speed for speed and their tenacity in the defence, eventually, denied the Phagwara clothmen a goal. Substitute winger Kuldeep Singh, with able support from Jaswinder Singh in the midfield, created many a thrilling move down the left corridor, but JCT could not apply the killer punch as the rival custodian invariably charged out to thwart the dangerous moves. Late in the second half, Hardeep Gill could have put the ball in when Kuldeep Singh sent a cross from the left, but the JCT striker delayed in taking a first time shot, and Imran Khan charged out to virtually snatch the ball away from Gill’s feet. Gill and substitute Gyan Mohon came close to scoring on a few more occasions but it proved to be a case of too close yet too far. East Bengal, who just require a draw to move into semis, take on MEG, Bangalore while Salgaocar clash against Assam Regimental Centre in the last quarter-final league matches tomorrow. |
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Srichaphan wins Tata Open
Chennai, January 5 The 23-year-old from Bangkok, ranked 16th in the world, did not drop a set in the $ 400,000 tournament to capture his third title in less than five months. Paradorn, named “Thai of the Year” ahead of several pop stars and politicians by a survey in his country last month, took his maiden ATP title in Long Island last August and then won at Stockholm in October. The second seed needed just 69 minutes to see off Kucera, a former world No 6, who is looking to get back to his best this season. The Slovak is currently 83rd in the world. Paradorn, who jumped 110 places in the world ranking last season, had lost to Argentine Guillermo Canas in the final here last year. Knowle-Kholmann win
Julian Knowle of Austria and Michael Kholmann of Germany stunned fourth-seeded Czech combine of Frantisek Cermak and Leos Friedl 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (7/3) to lift the doubles title. The keenly-contested match saw booming serves and brilliant winners. The two pairs reserved their best for the tie-break in both the sets after 22 of the 24 games went on serve. The winners became richer by $26,550 while the Czech pair collected $15,630. In both the tie-breaks, the lower ranked Austrian-German pair played better and looked under no pressure. The Czech pair, with a good measure of experience having won six titles between them, could not break their opponents’ serves, barring once each in the second set. With the players most often being bang on target with their first serves, their partners were left with an easy job of finishing and few rallies were seen in the whole match.
Reuters, PTI |
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Nett double by Kanika In the Eastern India Ladies Golf Championship, held at Tollygunge Golf Club, Kolkata, Kanika Minocha was the winner in the junior nett and also the runner-up in the junior gross. In the Western India Ladies Golf Championship held at the Bombay Presidency Golf Club, Mumbai, from December 17 to 20, Kanika Minocha was declared winner of the Botawala Cup (overall nett). Kanika
expressed her special thanks to her coach and mentor Mr Jassi Grewal who has always encouraged her to put in her best. |
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Punjab
eves win kho-kho title
Rohtak, January 5 After beating West Bengal by one point in the semifinal today, women from Punjab defeated Madhya Pradesh by two points. The winners scored four points each in both the innings and conceded five and one point in the two innings. West Bengal finished third and Andhra Pradesh got the fourth position. The men’s final was contested on expected lines between the two identified heavyweights of the game over the years. Maharashtra defeated Karnataka by three points. The winners garnered 10 points in the first innings and nine in the second to restrict their opponents at seven and nine points in two innings. Madhya Bharat defeated Telengana by one point to clinch the third spot. Earlier Karnataka had defeated Madhya Bharat 19-6 whereas Maharashtra had beaten Telangana by innings and six points in the semifinals played today. As many as 900 participants from all over the country vied for the top honours in the five-day event which came to an end this evening. |
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Ludhiana
win hockey title Ludhiana, January 5 DGP, Punjab M.S. Bhullar gave away the prizes to the winners. The tournament was inaugurated by Dr K.S. Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana. Balkishan Singh, a former coach of the Indian hockey team presided over the opening ceremony. The tournament committee invited many former champions including Dharam Singh, S.S. Sodhi, Pargat Singh, Hardeep Singh, Jagdeep Singh Gill, Ramandeep Singh, Gurbachan Singh, Gurdev Singh and Balwant Singh for the tournament. Ludhiana and Ropar qualified for the final and the third position was won by Faridkot. |
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Australia have to bat out the
entire last day tomorrow to prevent going down to their first home Test
defeat in four years to resurgent England in the fifth and final cricket
Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Mohammedan Sporting of
Kolkata precariously hung on to an early goal, scored by Dependu Biswas, to
edge out JCT, Phagwara in a Group A league match and qualified for the
semi-final of the Durand Cup Football Tournament at the Ambedkar
Stadium here today. Mohammedan Sporting’s 1-0 victory gave them
three valuable points.
Chandigarh, January 5
