 |
|
|
India quash late onslaught by Zimbabwe
We got a fright, admits Ganguly
India enjoy taking on Aussies |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Aussies in mourning after Hookes’ death
SA beat rain, Windies
Anand wins, remains in lead Vasco beat Churchill Bros
|
|
India quash late onslaught by Zimbabwe
Brisbane, January 20 After posting 255 for six, built around the efforts of Rahul Dravid (84) and Yuvraj Singh (69), India were cruising along comfortably till the 37th over when Zimbabwe were almost out of the match at 148 for six. But the tailenders came up with yet another spirited performance to give India a scare before the side ran out of steam to finish at 231 for nine in 47.1 overs. Opener Mark Vermeulen had to retire hurt when he was hit on the face by an Irfan Pathan bouncer early in the innings. All-rounder Sean Ervine (39) and Dion Ebrahim (39) plundered the inexperienced Indian bowling to add a quickfire 49 runs for the seventh wicket to kindle hopes of an upset win for the African team. Ervine’s dismissal at 197 in the 44th over failed to stem the run flow as Ebrahim and Raymond Price joined hands to set up the stage for a thrilling finish. But India sealed the fate of the match in the 48th over to pocket five points to take their tally to 17, one behind table leader Australia. Zimbabwe also opened their account with a bonus point from the match. Zimbabwe’s decision to reshuffle the batting order, giving the opening slot to veteran Grant Flower, did yield some results initially as the side got off to a positive start. Flower (36) and Vermeulen (14) played cautiously to come up with the most fruitful partnership for the team in the tournament so far — adding 28 runs in seven overs. Irfan Pathan then knocked Vermeulen down with a vicious bouncer which the player attempted to hook but missed. Though the ball got stuck in the grill of the helmet, it inflicted injuries on Vermeulen’s face forcing the batsman to retire hurt. Vermeulen was later rushed to a hospital for x-ray, which revealed a fracture in the skull. Friend was run out by Ganguly while on seven and four runs later Flower ran out of patience to give a catch to V.V.S. Laxman in the deep off Ashish Nehra. Andy Blignaut (1), promoted up the order, square cut ferociously but straight into into Yuvraj Singh’s hands at point. Heath Streak (3) suffered a rare failure in the series when he missed a straight delivery from Sourav Ganguly to leave Zimbabwe reeling at 81 for four. The score had moved to 106 for four in the 30th over when a couple of sharp showers interrupted the game for 40 minutes. On resumption, Ganguly swelled his figures with two more wickets. Tatenda Taibu (15) was caught in the deep and Stuart Carlisle’s (34) grim resistance had a comical end as the edge slipped out of Parthiv Patel’s gloves but got stuck in the flap of his pads. Zimbabwe were then brought into equation by Ervine and Ebrahim, batting at No. 8 and 9, but the ask was too big for them — 108 runs off just 78 balls. Earlier, man-of-the-match Yuvraj Singh and Dravid rearranged a sorry-looking 72 for three with a fourth-wicket stand of 114 runs as India finished with a competitive total on the board. SCOREBOARD India Patel b Streak 19 Ganguly c Hondo b Ervine 33 Laxman c Taibu b Ervine 12 Dravid c Streak b Ervine 84 Yuvraj b Price 69 Gavaskar b Streak 22 Badani not out 1 Pathan not out 5 Extras
(lb-3, w-6, nb-1) 10 Total (6 wkts, 50 overs) 255 Fall of wickets:
1-41, 2-67, 3-74, 4-188, 5-249, 6-249. Bowling: Streak 10-1-48-2, Blignaut 7-1-44-0, Hondo 6-0-39-0, Ervine 10-0-47-3, Price 10-0-43-1, Grant Flower 7-0-31-0. Zimbabwe: Flower c Laxman b Nehra 36 Vermeulen retired hurt 14 Friend run out 7 Carlisle c Patel b Ganguly 34 Blignaut c Yuvraj b Balaji 1 Streak b Ganguly 3 Taibu c Laxman b Ganguly 15 Ervine c Ganguly b Balaji 39 Ebrahim c Ganguly b Pathan 39 Price not out 18 Hondo run out 0 Extras:
(lb-11, w-13, nb-1) 25 Total: (all out, 47.1 overs) 231 FoW:
1-66, 2-70, 3-73, 4-81, 5-128, 6-148, 7-197, 8-231, 9-231. Bowling:
Nehra 9-1-44-1, Pathan 9-2-40-1, Balaji 9.1-0-37-2, Kumble 10-1-44- 0, Ganguly 10-0-55-3.
— PTI |
|
We got a fright, admits Ganguly
Brisbane, January 20 “I didn’t expect it to be this close when they were hundred for four after 30 overs,” said Ganguly after his side squeezed out a 24-run win over the African minnows under lights at the Gabba here. “After the rain the ball became very wet and runs were coming easily in the last 12 overs. They were able to get eight or nine runs per over because the bowlers were not able to hit the length and spinners were not able to grip the ball. “The weather did affect and somehow they got very close.” Ganguly was not harsh on his fielders as they struggled to stop the Zimbabweans from running twos whenever they hit in the outfield. “It’s a big ground and even when we were batting, we were getting a lot of twos hitting in the deep. “I admit they (fielders) have to get to the ball quicker but then they are all young boys - Pathan, Balaji and Rohan - and they would learn.” Ganguly still made a mention of the good catching and strong throwing arms of his fielders, putting it down to good preparation they had before coming on to the tour. “We had a good camp in Bangalore. We told ourselves if we wanted to be successful in Australia we needed good throwing arms. We were aware if we drop important catches against a good side (like Australia), we might struggle,” Ganguly said. “So far (catching and throwing) in the Test and one-day series has been outstanding.” Ganguly said it was more or less decided Australia and India would be contesting the finals but he did not want to drop the guard against the world champions in the remaining two league games against them. “We have had two close games in Melbourne and Brisbane against Australia. When two good sides play, it happens. It always boil down to 95 to 96 overs of equal exchanges before three or four overs decide the games. “It has happened in the first two games and we expect it to happen for the rest of the tour. “I guess we know who are going to be the finalists. But it is important how we play against them before the finals. We are looking at next two games at Sydney and Perth as critical.” India have four league games remaining with two scheduled against Australia at Sydney (January 22) and Perth (February 1). — PTI
|
|
Melbourne, January 20 The 24-year-old, who suffered a hairline skull fracture during a net session at last year’s World Cup, was taken to a Brisbane hospital and is expected to have surgery this week. “It’s just really sad,” Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak told a news conference. We’ve already lost Craig Wishart (knee surgery) and to lose Mark is a big blow to Zimbabwe cricket.
|
|
India enjoy taking on Aussies I have many fond memories of playing in Brisbane, but I certainly did not add to them during our game against the Indians on Sunday. The Indian batsmen are in great form, and once again it was very difficult to contain them. However, conceding 80-plus is completely unacceptable. As a sportsman one must look ahead since you cannot change what has gone by, but one for 83 still hurts a lot. The fast bowlers from both sides had a tough time on a surface that has traditionally helped pace, and it certainly was the flattest wicket I have seen at the
Gabba. Every sportsman has peaks and troughs, so it is important that one has support when the going is not good. I am happy and touched to see that Ricky is backing me, and is there for me during this rough period. We had a chat yesterday and another one today, during which he raised some interesting points about where I was going wrong. Ricky told me that it was important that I did not panic because this was my first bad game in 12 months. He reminded me that I had been named man of the series during the VB Series exactly a year ago, and at the World Cup I was the leading wicket-taker in 2003. Ricky added that there were some positives that emerged from the Brisbane game, for instance I did bowl well in patches, and I was consistently hitting the 150 mark. According to Ricky, I am bowling the wrong length, because right now the ball is landing a foot or so shorter than during the World Cup, when I was bowling well. I have taken this point on board, so hopefully the results will be there to show in the next couple of games. It’s great that the captain is sticking up for me, and I hope to thank him with a good show at the
SCG. The Indian batsmen right now seem to be enjoying themselves when they take on the hosts. It is obvious that they relish their encounters against us, which is why they save their best for us. For example, the Indians under-achieved with the bat today against the less-fancied attack of Zimbabwe. Looking ahead to Thursday’s game, we will be without the services of Matthew Hayden at the top of the order. There is no serious injuries, but the team decided that this was a good time for him to take off and look after a few niggles. It will also give him some time off with his family so that he can come back rejuvenated for the final phase of the tournament. We have reached the middle of the league phase of the VB Series, and it is obvious that there is very little separating us from the Indians right now. While both teams have defeated Zimbabwe twice, Australia and India have beaten each other by identical margins in their two games. The finals will almost certainly be between these two sides, but there is no letting up from either camp in the remaining two league games they will play against each other. Moving away from the action, it was a great shock for us to hear of the tragic passing away of David
Hookes. He was an awesome personality, and for guys of my generation, his commentary on radio and television brought us closer to the game. I felt sick when I heard the news, and it took all of us some time to come to terms with it. We maintained a minute’s silence before our team meeting, to remember and respect one of the great characters of contemporary Australian cricket.
— Gameplan |
|
|
Aussies in mourning after Hookes’ death
Melbourne, January 20 The tragic death dominated the media today, with the country shocked over the attack on the 48-year-old former batsman whose carefree, swashbuckling style made him a hero to a generation of young Aussie cricket fans.
It emerged that hotel bouncer Zdravco Micevic, 21, who has been charged with assaulting
Hookes, is already awaiting trial accused of intentionally causing serious injury to another hotel patron in late 2002. As police consider laying further charges, it was also reported that Micevic had trained as a boxer and that a manager of one of the pubs where he worked had complained recently about his excessively aggressive confrontations with patrons. Micevik was released on bail by a Melbourne magistrate who banned him from working as a crowd controller and ordered him to reappear for committal on a charge of assaulting Hookes outside a pub in the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda just before midnight on Sunday. The Victorian state government promised an overhaul of legislation covering the conduct of security guards and hotel bouncers in the aftermath of the Hookes tragedy. South Australian born Hookes, whose 178 first class matches included 23 Tests and 39 one-day matches for Australia, was lately coach of the Victoria state side which leads the Sheffield Shield competition. Hookes, who is survived by his wife Robyn and two step-children, shot to instant fame on his debut in the 1977 Australia-England Centenary Test in which he scored five fours in one over off the bowling of England captain Tony Greig. Greig said today that he had had beer with Hookes after the match and from then on became firm friends. “People who know him will know that not only was he a good cricketer but a stimulating, innovative cricket teacher and that’s just developed more and more over the years,” said Greig who described the death as an absolute tragedy. Australian golfer Greg Norman was one of many high-profile Australians left shocked by news of the death. “For the life of me I don’t understand senseless, stupid, friggin’ accidents like this. I mean, what a waste of somebody’s life,” Norman told reporters in Los Angeles.
— AFP
|
|
|
Laxman to marry
HYDERABAD: Stylish Hyderabadi batsman Vangipurapu Venkata Sai Laxman, who is in a roaring form in the ongoing series in Australia, is all set to marry on February 15 next.
“It’s an arranged marriage and the girl is our close relative from my husband’s side+, she said and gave no more details.
|
|
|
Centurion, January 20 Almost four hours of play was lost because of rain but South Africa were able to claim the last seven West Indies wickets for 85 runs before, with more rain threatening, they knocked off the 46 runs they needed in just 21 minutes off 3.4 overs. Shaun Pollock took four wickets and bowled unchanged through three brief periods of play. After claiming only one wicket in 64 overs yesterday, when rain and bad light cut play, South Africa’s hopes of completing the series with a win were reignited when they took three wickets in 22 balls before lunch. Two more wickets after lunch left the tourists precariously placed before the rain returned. Finally, with a nominal 24 overs remaining, the players returned after tea and South Africa were able to wrap up the innings, although they had some anxious moment. South Africa (1st innings): 604-6 dec West Indies 1st innings: 301 West Indies 2nd innings: Gayle c McKenzie b Ntini 107 Ganga b Ntini 0 Sarwan lbw b Pollock 119 Lara lbw b Nel 6 Chanderpaul c Gibbs b Kallis 27 Smith b Ntini 0 Jacobs lbw b Pollock 3 Drakes c Gibbs b Pollock 4 Dillon c Smith b Pollock 29 Collymore not out 13 Edwards b Nel 10 Extras (b-4, lb-11, nb-8, w -7) 30 Total
(all out,106.4 overs) 348 FoW: 1-18, 2-32, 3-99, 4-273, 5-277, 6-278, 7-284, 8-309, 9-322. Bowling: Pollock 32-10-69-4, Ntini 28-4-99-3, Nel 15.4-2-64-2, Kallis 16-4-49-1, Hall 0.2-0-4-0, Smith 8.4-1-24-0, Rudolph 6-0-24-0. — AFP
|
|
Australian Open:
Federer, Venus breeze
Melbourne, January 20 Venus Williams also made a triumphant if rusty return to tournament play after a six-month break by overpowering fellow American Ashley Harkleroad 6-2, 6-1 in a 51-minute center-court romp. Playing in tricky winds, high humidity and temperatures that reached 36.5° C, Federer was joined by third seed Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain, Argentinian eighth seed David Nalbandian and Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt in advancing to the second round. Federer, who dropped his long-time Swedish coach Peter Lundgren in December and has yet to find a replacement, took just 90 minutes to despatch 117th-ranked American qualifier Alex Bogomolov 6-3, 6-4, 6-0. While his convincing game drew few questions in the post-match press conference, Federer was peppered with queries about his decision to come to Melbourne without a coach. “I know it’s difficult to start the season without a coach, but that was my decision,” he said, adding that proposals from would-be replacements as coach were already coming in. Nalbandian, (22), confirmed his position as a dark horse, after he defeated defending champion Andre Agassi in last week’s Kooyong Classic here, by scoring an emphatic 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 victory over Brazil’s Ricardo Mello. Nalbandian, a runner-up to Hewitt at Wimbledon two years ago, brushed aside a nagging wrist injury that hampered his season last year and put a question over his trademark baseline power. Hewitt, the former world No 1 and bidding to become the first Australian to capture the local Grand Slam in 28 years, was decisively winning 6-2, 6-4, 0-1 when US opponent Cecil Mamiit retired with a hurt ankle. It was the third match a row Hewitt has won by default after Carlos Moya and Martin Verkerk retired hurt in the final and semifinal of last week’s Sydney International. Less fortunate, Briton Greg Rusedski found no respite from the doping controversy surrounding him in recent weeks as he was emphatically drubbed out of the season’s first Grand Slam 4-6, 3-6, 4-6 by Spaniard Albert Costa. Rusedski blamed the loss on a stomach bug caught in Sydney last week and which restricted him to just 30 minutes practice before today’s game. Spanish fifth seed Guillermo Coria became the latest in a rash of seeded players to suffer early elimination, falling 7-6 (9/7), 6-2, 6-4 to Frenchman Cyril Saulnier. Williams, a former world No 1 playing competitively for the first time since losing the Wimbledon singles final to sister Serena in July, overpowered her opponent, but with some weakness in form. She notably struggled to find fluency in her service game despite managing to uncork some typically ferocious groundstrokes in her victory. The 23-year-old missed much of last season with a nagging abdominal injury and then saw her professional problems overwhelmed by family tragedy when half sister Yetunde was murdered in Los Angeles in September. Nevertheless, Williams declared herself pleased with her performance. Williams now plays Russia’s Vera Douchevina in the next round. The tall American is seen as the biggest threat to Belgian world No 1 Justine Henin-Hardenne’s hopes of lifting back-to-back Grand Slam titles following her success in the US Open and an easy first-round victory here Monday. — AFP
|
|
Wijk Aan Zee, January 20 The 49-move win ensured Anand a slender half point lead over nearest rival Michael Adams of England who triumphed over top seed Vladimir Kramnik of Russia. The Indian star, enjoying sole lead, has 6 points from 8 games so far. Hungarian Peter Leko on 5 points held the third spot after he beat Dortmund winner Viktor Bologan of Moldova. Placed a distant fourth with just five more rounds to go in this category-19 event were Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, Russian Champion Peter Svidler and Kramnik on 4.5 points apiece. In the most important clash of the event, Anand plays Kramnik in the next round as black. Anand once again displayed his top form in the match against Bareev yesterday. Bareev’s French defence has failed to come good, at least here, and he might have to start looking for alternatives after this thorough drubbing. The middle game was intense and Bareev faltered on his 17th turn after Anand deployed all his pieces to initiate the attack. Soon it was Anand’s missile like bishop and queen doing all the damage as he unleashed a knight sacrifice to rip apart black’s king-side. Getting two pawns in return, Anand ensured that Bareev’s king never got an easy feeling. And for that matter even Bareev himself. — PTI
|
|
Margao, January 20 For Vasco, the goals came through Nigerian Amachi Tochukwa in the 24th and 82nd minutes. Churchill needed a Yakubu Yusif penalty kick in the 89th minute to reduce the margin. Vasco with this win took their tally to 15 points registering three wins, 6 draws and 2 defeats and came on par with Haywards Sporting. While Churchill Brothers with this defeat remained on fourth place with 17 points from 10 outings below league leaders Dempo with 21 points, followed by East Bengal and JCT with 18 points each. Churchill will play their last league match of the first leg on January 23 against Dempo. Vasco came up with the first good move as early as in the 15th minute but Vinu Jose’s power-packed shot, following a flag kick by Marcos Pereira, sailed over the cross bar. But, Vasco surged ahead in the 24th minute through Amachi, whose header found the back of the net following a flag kick by Marcos Pereira. Tollygunge win Kolkata:
Tollygunge Agragami struck a late winner to pip Indian Bank 3-2 in an the eighth National Football League
encounter here today. The promising Habib Ali scored two goals while Akeem AbolAnle found the target once for the local outfit who have now taken their points tally to ten from eleven matches. They now occupy the tenth place in the 12-team league, overtaking city rivals Mohammedan Sporting who have culled a point less.
— UNI |
|
|
Air-India, PSB in semis Kota, January 20 Kamlesh Kumar opened the score for Air-India in the 21st minute with a beautiful field goal. Inside left Deepak slotted home in the 29th minute off a penalty stroke and again in the 37th minute to make it 3-0. Jagtar Singh and S Hereng scored for the losers in the 61st and 65th minutes of the game. In another match, bankmen made an explosive start with Amarjeet Singh scoring off a penalty stroke in the very second minute. BSF, however, equalised in the ninth minute, Christopher Ekka finding the mark. Punjab and Sind Bank were leading 2-1 at half time. BSF scored two more goals, but the bankmen equalised in the 56th minute. Both sides were tied 3-3.
— UNI
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | National Capital | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
