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Kiran
Powar, Arindam steady East Zone
Pak
‘unveil surprise’ in 16-member squad |
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Spin
wizards Warne, Muralitharan in race for 'Peak 500' India
swamp Malaysia, win hockey Test series
Hockey: India take on
Pak today India-Pakistan
snooker meet in Chandigarh
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Kiran
Powar, Arindam steady East Zone Chandigarh, March 5 East Zone finished the day at 287 for eight and still trail by 43 runs as the North Zone scored 330 runs in the first innings, but Powar in the company of Utpal Chatterjee did enough to enable East Zone salvage pride. North Zone off-spinner Sarandeep Singh, who bowled a tantalising spell on a wicket which did not have much to offer to the bowlers, had earlier triggered East collapse. He claimed four wickets as the East Zone were left tottering at 200 for seven. But Powar remained unperturbed. Refusing to be bogged down, he played his natural game and kept on amassing runs. He found an able ally in old warhorse Utpal Chatterjee. The ageing spinner today revealed that despite advancing years he had lost none of his fighting abilities. North Skipper Dinesh Mongia rotated his bowlers in order to unsettle the pair, but in vain. Both Powar and Chatterjee, who were involved in crucial 86-run stand for the eighth wicket, had an answer to whatever was hurled at them. Powar never hesitated to go for his strokes. His two hits to the fence off Ashish Nehra, probably the best seamer on view, towards the fag end of the day's play, revealed his skill as well as the confidence with which he batted. Chatterjee did not lag behind and dealt some lusty blows. When East looked well on course for overhauling the North Zone total, Nehra gave North a fresh lease of hope. He sent back tenacious Chatterjee having him caught in the slip after the batsman had made 39. Chatterjee failed to capitalise on the reprieve a short while ago when Akash Chopra, fielding at second slip, failed to hold on to a simple catch. The bowler to suffer was Nehra. Arindam Das, who scored a painstaking 70, and Debang Gandhi earlier steadied the innings from the early fall of three wickets as Haryana seamer Joginder Sharma struck twice and Nehra once to reduce East to 46 for three. Skipper Gandhi looked to have settled down to play a long innings when he was done in by Sarandeep, who had him caught bat-pad at short leg. Gandhi's 42 included eight hits to the fence. At close, Powar was undefeated on 69. Nehra, on trial to prove fitness for the one-day series to Pakistan, was the best seamer of the day. He generated good pace on the track and bowled a probing line and length throughout the day without showing any signs of discomfort. Occasionally getting good lift from the track, Nehra had most of the batsmen in trouble. He bowled 20 over, the maximum by a seamer from the side, and finished the day with the impressive figures of 20-7-50-2. He claimed the scalps of S S Das, former India opener, and resolute Chatterjee.
Scoreboard North Zone (1st innings): Akash Chopra lbw Paul 27, Gautam Gambhir lbw Lahiri 46, Yuvraj Singh run out 106, Dinesh Mongia c Shukla b Mohanty 84, Mithun Minhas lbw Paul 1, Ajay Ratra b Paul 13, Joginder Sharma c Doni b Paul 0, Gagandeep Singh c Doni b Mohanty 4, Sarandeep c Lahiri b Paul 14, Ashish Nehra not out 4, Amit Bhandari lbw Mohanty 0. Extras
( b 4, lb 7, nb 20) : 31 Total (all out in 99.1 overs): 330 Fall of wickets:
1-82, 2-88, 3-285, 4-285, 5-288, 6-288, 7-304, 8-325, 9-326. Bowling:
S S Paul 27-8-83-5, Debashish Mohanty 24.1-3-52-3, S Lahiri 20-5-61-1, Utpal Chatterjee 12-0-66-0, Kiran Powar 6-0-24-0, Rohan Gavaskar 2-1-5-0 East Zone (1st innings): S S Das c Yuvraj b Nehra 12, M S Doni c Chopra b Joginder 21, Arindam Das b Sarandeep 70, Rohan Gavaskar lbw Joginder 1, Debang Gandhi c Manhas b Sarandeep 42, Kiran Powar batting 69, L R Shukla c Yuvraj b Sarandeep 8, S Lahiri st Ratra b Sarandeep 6, Utpal Chatterjee c Yuvraj b Nehra 39, D Mohanty batting 0. Extras
( lb 2, nb 16, w 1): 19 Total ( for 8 in 78 overs): 287 Fall of wickets:
1-34, 2-44, 3-46, 4-139, 5-174, 6-182, 7-200, 8-286 Bowling:
Ashish Nehra 20-7-50-2, Amit Bhandari 16-1-74-0, Joginder Sharma 11-0-59-2, Gagandeep Singh 10-2-42-0, Sarandeep Singh 20-5-53-4, Dinesh Mongia 1-7-0-0. |
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Pak ‘unveil surprise’ in 16-member squad Lahore, March 5 Also included in the 16-member squad announced here is Shabbir Ahmed, just back from Australia where he had gone to correct his suspect bowling action, and right-hand batsman Younis Khan who had been dropped after last year’s World Cup in which Pakistan had a disastrous run. The pace attack will be led by tearaway Shoaib Akhtar who will be supported by Mohammad Sami, all-rounder Abdur Razzaq and Rao whom the chief selector Wasim Bari expects to be a “surprise” against the famed Indian line-up. The 16 players who will be in contention for the team to play in the opening one-dayer at Karachi on March 13 and the second one-dayer at Rawalpindi on March 16 are: Inzamam-ul Haq (captain), Yousuf Youhana, Shahid Afridi, Saqlain Mushtaq, Younis Khan, Abdur Razzaq, Shoaib Akhtar, Misbah-ul Haq, Mohammad Sami, Shabbir Ahmed, Moin Khan, Shoaib Mallik, Yaseer Hameed, Imran Farhat, Rana Naveed ul-Hasan, Iftikhar Rao. The 23-year-old Rao bowls at about 135 kmph and is known to bowl to a good line and length. His consistent outswingers and ability to extract bounce prompted the selectors to include him in the squad. Bari said Rao was picked as he could prove to be a surprise package. “He has been selected based on his performance in the domestic season where he bagged a lot of wickets.” While pointing out that the squad was decided after consultations with coach Javed Maindad and captain Inzamam-ul Haq, he said, “the team is well balanced in all departments of the game and would give a good fight to the Indians.” Inzamam said he was pleased with the composition of the team which had the best players available. “I am quite happy. The best players who were available have been picked in the squad,” he said. Justifying the inclusion of offie Saqlain Mushtaq and speedster Shabbir Ahmed, the skipper said, “the team needed some experience. Saqlain has been performing well in first-class cricket. “As far as Shabbir is concerned, he was terrific in the last series that he played against New Zealand.” Bari said Afridi won back the favour of the selectors on account of being a good one-day player. “Afridi is a utility player in one-day cricket. Not only can he bat and bowl, he is a very fine fielder as well,” Bari said. Bari said Saqlain could prove to be handy in both types of cricket because of his experience. “He also has a good record against India. “Asim Kamal and Danish Kaneria have not been included as they are thought to be more useful in longer version of the game and will be, therefore, considered for the Tests,” he said. Like Rao, Rana Naveed-ul Hasan and Misbah-ul Haq were selected due to their performance in the domestic circuit. Bari said selectors would still keep an open mind and continue to watch the players appearing in the domestic tournament — Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. A Pakistan ‘A’ side was also named for playing in the tour opening one-day warm-up game to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on March 11. Left-handed Test opener Taufeeq Umar was appointed captain of the squad. Pakistan ‘A’ squad: Imran Nazir, Taufeeq Umar (capt), Faisal Iqbal, Bazid Khan, Naumanullah, Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Yasir Arafat, Junaid Zia, Umar Gul, Zahid Saeed, Mohammad Khaleel, Ashar Zaidi and Qaiser Abbas.
— PTI |
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Spin wizards Warne, Muralitharan in race for 'Peak 500' Colombo, March 5 Warne returned to international cricket after serving a 12-month suspension for taking a banned diuretic with a claim that batsmen would find his bowling more puzzling than before. It spells trouble for batsmen because he was a riddle even before the ban, having snared 491 wickets in 107 Tests to close in on retired West Indies paceman Courtney Walsh’s world record of 519 victims. Off-spinner Muralitharan is breathing down Warne’s neck with 485 wickets, but the Australian could have won the race had he not missed a dozen Tests due to the ban. Warne recently said he had been working on a different delivery during his year-long ban to baffle the batsmen in the three-Test series starting in the coastal town of Galle. “There’s something I have been working on and I am saving it for the Test series,” he said. “It is something I have changed my grip with and if I land them like I have been while working on it, I think it will be very handy.” Warne bowled the ‘Ball of the Century’ in the 1993 Old Trafford Test when he clean bowled England batsman Mike Gatting with the one that turned so viciously from outside the leg-stump that it hit the off. Warne’s charisma continued to grow with each series, notwithstanding his implication in sex and betting scandals, and the drug-ban. He made headlines even when he was not among wickets. Muralitharan has been a riddle ever since he bowled his first delivery in Test cricket. Like his Australian counterpart, he also had his fair share of controversies - but for a different reason. His bowling action has been causing severe headache to both umpires, especially Australian, and batsmen who find his prodigious turn and bounce even on flat pitches difficult to handle. He was called thrice for chucking by Australian umpires before being cleared by the International Cricket Council. Muralitharan’s latest surprise weapon is the delivery that leaves the right-handers instead of coming in like a normal off-break. Both the spinners are still keen to prove a point or two on their way to scaling 'Peak 500'. Warne has often lost much of his magic in the subcontinent, especially in India and Sri Lanka where the pitches do not have as much bounce as in Australia. It is not surprising that Sri Lankan Test captain Hashan Tillakaratne is not unduly worried about Warne’s return. “We play spin day in, day out. It is not a major concern,” he said. Muralitharan also has his reputation at stake, especially after his team’s one victory in the last five home Tests. New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming neutralised Muralitharan’s efficacy last year, scoring 376 runs in four innings to help his team draw a two-Test series. England then made Sri Lanka struggle for a 1-0 win in three Tests despite Muralitharan’s 26 wickets.
— AFP |
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India swamp Malaysia, win hockey Test series New Delhi, March 5 Indian colts, preparing for the Junior Asia Cup Hockey Championship in Karachi (Pakistan), from April 21 to 29, won the first Test 4-1 and the second Test 4-2. But today’s win was the sweetest as the hosts ruthlessly exposed the chinks in the visitors’ armour. India knocked in three goals in the first half half and two in the second, with the first two goals coming off the stick of penalty corner specialist Sandeep Singh. India were in irrepressible form, and made short work of the Malaysians, who chased the ball but often running in vain to gain possession of it. India made their sorties down the flanks, and at times used the scoop to breach the Malaysian defence. India got a rousing start when the quick-footed Sandeep Singh did a fine job with his drag flick, off the very first penalty corner, in the fifth minute. India made a few close calls at the Malaysian goal before Sandeep Singh scored again, off the third penalty corner, in the 25th minute, to record a well-merited brace (2-0). Between India’s first and second goals, Malaysia earned two consecutive penalty corners, but the Indian defence stood its ground to baulk the visitors’ attempts. Six minutes before the recess, Vivek Gupta scored the third goal following a pass from Nitin Kumar (3-0). There was no let up in India’s fury on resumption either, as they slotted in the fourth goal 14 minutes into the half, when Vivek Gupta’s move saw Tushar Khandkar deflecting the ball for Suresh to shoot home on the run (4-0). And seven minutes before the final hooter, Bikas Toppo blasted the ball in from the left, after V Raja had set up a nice cross. This handsome victory should pep up the morale of the Indian boys as they gear up for the Asia Cup competition in Pakistan a few weeks from now. For the Malaysians too, this was a good outing, as they got a platform to test their skills against a superior opposition in a match situation, and are wiser by the experience. Indian coach Harendra Singh was satisfied with the boys’ display, though he cautined that a lot more ground needed to be covered before the deficiencies in the team could be ironed out. The Malaysians will play the fourth and final ‘Test’ at Sector 42 hockey stadium, Chandigarh, on March 7 at 4.30 pm. |
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Hockey: India take on Pak today Madrid, March 5 The usual sense of anticipation, excitement and apprehension precedes yet another India-Pakistan contest as the two subcontinental giants face each other. The rival coaches, Rajinder Singh and Roelant Oltmans (Pakistan), have predicted a close game that could go either way depending on who blinks first. Given the emotions and passions the contest between the two teams evoke, the coaches felt that the game would not be so much about tactics and strategy, as the ability to withstand intense pressure would dictate the outcome. Rajinder said: “Though we won most of the matches against Pakistan last year, I would like to say that each game is different. It will all depend on which team plays better on a given day, and that is especially true in modern hockey where anything is possible.” Oltmans, who took Holland to gold medal at the 1996 Olympics, said: “With Pakistan and India, you cannot say anything for sure. It will be a tough match and I am certain that the spectators will be treated to some top class hockey.”
— PTI |
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India-Pakistan
snooker meet in Chandigarh Chandigarh, March 5 The current world champion of nine-ball pool, Francisco Bustamante, was a very surprised man at the San Miguel Asian Nine-Ball Pool Championships held at Singapore recently. In the first round itself, Alok Kumar, who is based in Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab, outclassed Francisco 9-8 and knocked him out of the tournament. Another former world champion, Chao Fong Pang of Chinese Taipei, was the next giant to be humbled by Alok 9-8 in the quarterfinals. And with it, Alok became the first Indian ever to march into the semi-finals of any international pool tournament. "This was only my fifth nine-ball tournament as essentially I am a snooker and billiards player. But this win has really boosted my confidence and I am looking forward to the next leg of this tour that starts in Ho Chi Minh city in Vietnam shortly", said Alok in Chandigarh today. |
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