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Imran impressed by Irfan, Kaif Indian team lacks quality bowlers: Make Aquib bowling coach, Imran tells PCB
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Lahore never had it so good Lahore, March 21 This historical city once known as “Paris of Asia’’ is in the grip of cricket mania and tourist boom with hotels full to capacity and for once the famed Lahori hospitality shown the window in the interest of business and economy.
‘Chacha’ cheers for
friendship
Rudolph’s unbeaten ton rescues SA
Rain halts England progress Randhawa rallies to finish third at Caltex Masters
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Imran impressed by Irfan, Kaif Lahore: Rookie pacer Irfan Pathan continued his good form with the new ball and have his latest admirer in the form of former Pakistan captain and legendary allrounder Imran Khan. “It’s really great for a guy who has just stepped in to the arena of international cricket. Such passion and temperament-it’s amazing. He was very sensible in his approach and it was a good decision to bowl over the wicket,” said Imran. Meanwhile, even though Zaheer Khan got couple of wickets, the Indian pacer was certainly not at his best, he said. “Zaheer was not in his best stretch, all I can say.” Maintaining that the Indian team was badly missing genuine bowlers in the side, Imran said: “On this slow wicket where the ball was not coming to the bat, genuine bowlers could have made the difference. The difference was all the more visible when you saw a part-time bowler like Tendulkar bowl and then a genuine spinner Murali Kartik in action.” Imran also seemed bowled over by Mohd Kaif who took a brilliant catch to dismiss Abdul Razzaq and another to return Shoaib Malik. — UNI
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Indian team lacks quality bowlers: Amir Sohail Lahore, March 21 Sohail was of the view that Pakistan has an edge over India because “we have good bowling” and also the home advantage is always there for the host team. He said the reason for the exciting series is that both the teams are giving their best regardless of their shortcomings. “India-Pak series always brings out best from the players so this series is no exception.” Sohail said given the batting line up, if the bowling also had been good then Indians would have been fancied but “the advantage of having such a solid batting line has been frittered away”. He was of the view that Pakistan has an edge over India in the three-Test series as well because “we are well equipped in all departments of the game”. He said: “I feel the Indians do not have quality bowlers. Once in a while they might produce something extra-ordinary in the course of the series. But bowlers like Zaheer Khan and L Balaji need a lot of hard work and Irfan Pathan still has to know his right length.” Sohail said the Indian bowlers “not only lack penetration but are also not incisive. They lack the experience and the technical know-how to bowl on flat tracks in the sub-continent. They require more matches in their domestic cricket and can then think of coming to terms with international cricket.” He, however, was lavish in his praise of the Indian batting saying, “They (batsman) are too good. They don’t need my words to redefine their status because they have powerhouses like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Venkatsai Laxman. “But one cannot expect them to make 300 plus runs in every match they play. The bowlers also have a role and as long as the Indian bowlers understand it and apply themselves accordingly, the visitors will be benefitted immensely.” “In the Test series, Pakistan will go in as favourites. They have a better bowling attack and, therefore, they enjoy the edge over their opposition, while the Indians will have to only bank on Anil Kumble. I see no other bowler who can produce match-winning performance on behalf of the Indians. The visitors are also missing off-spinner Harbhajan Singh in the series and on the other hand I have a feeling that Ramesh Powar is under utilised in the series,” Sohail said. The former Pakistan skipper complimented the present Indian team for their fighting spirit and mental strength. “What impress me the most about the Indians is their mental standards. There was a time when the Indians were always faltering against Pakistan. Now, things have changed for good.” Sohail said he was happy to see the Pakistan team give such a “wonderful performance because it is a young and raw side pitted against a vastly superior (batting) side. “Pakistanis have a very young team. They have come a long way since the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. The performances in the home series against New Zealand and South Africa were outstanding and I am sure that these boys will evolve as one of the leading sides in world cricket in the near future.” Sohail said their performances against the Indians in the ODI series has been quite memorable and exciting. “I am happy with the way the Pakistan’s national selection committee have gone about with their job. Yasir Hameed is a good find and so are Naveed Rana and Imran Farhat. They need to be nurtured.” He said the regular exchange of the teams between the two countries will further improve the relations and bring people closer.
— UNI |
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Make Aquib bowling coach, Imran tells PCB Lahore, March 21 “I think Wasim Akram is quite happy to do commentary. And after talking to him, it seems that he is happy to play a passive role in cricket. So, it is Aquib who deserves to look after the Pakistan bowlers,” Imran said. “As a player, Aquib has done well and again. As a coach he is doing well with the Pakistan under-19 team. At the back of everything, we have to remember that he is a young coach and has been one of the youngest selectors of the Pakistani team.” Imran was of the view that Pakistan bowling “is one of the best in the world, but they need some assistance to improve their run-up. Most of the coaches associated with the team have been batsmen and so Aquib will certainly be a revelation.” Imran, who led Pakistan to World Cup victory in 1992, said he was surprised that off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq has not played a single match against India so far in this series. “If Sachin can turn the ball, why can’t Saqlain?” Imran wanted to know. “Pakistan always has had some great spinners in their side. It is only in recent months they are struggling to find the right kind of combination. In the end, a right combination of fast bowlers and spinner can shape up a very competitive bowling department.
—UNI |
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Notes from Pakistan Full Toss Salad or Off Swinger — take your pick from the menu in top hotels of Lahore where cricket mania has found its way into kitchens. At the Holiday Inn, which appears to have been taken over by cricket-crazy Indians who have poured into this historic city for the two Indo-Pak one-dayers this week, the menu is all cricket parlance. Here is the menu in one of its restaurants called the ‘Lahore Gate’ — Sweep of the Day (soup of the day), Full-toss Salad, Fish and slip (deep fried fish with French fries), Curry in Gully (chicken curry served with rice or bread), Deep Fine Chicken Breast (deep fried chicken breast), Run in a Bun (chicken or beef burger), Off Swinger (crisp and spicy chicken sandwich), Googly Tuity-Fruity (ice cream), Stumped out Banana. * Admitting that he was completely surprised by the impeccable behaviour of the “friendly crowd” at Lahore, legendary all-rounder Imran Khan said,” I never thought I would live to see such a wonderful scene here.” Saying that India-Pakistan series was always treated as a “mini-battle” by the fans on the either side of the Line of Control, Imran said,” Remember, the series is not taking place in Sharjah but in Pakistan. That makes it so special. The Lahore crowd today is simply wonderful.” Hailing the changed attitude, the former Pakistan captain said, “I belong to the generation that was brought up right after partition with the anger and bloodshed fresh in memory. But on my first trip to India, I was surprised to see that the Indians don’t have horns on their head. I found we have so much in common and we share the same culture and history.” * From India’s captains of trade and industry, politicians, film stars to the truest cricket lover — the common man — they were all here to watch the duel. An estimated 7,000 Indians came by buses, trains and planes and filled the stands along with many more thousand Pakistanis at the Gaddafi Stadium under a blazing, hot sun in this second biggest city of Pakistan, which is experiencing unusually high temperatures. * Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Shaharyar Khan has said he was not in favour of holding frequent matches between India and Pakistan soon after the resumption of the bilateral cricketing ties between the two countries. “I would rather prefer that we play a proper bilateral cricket series once a year instead of playing here and there throughout the year,” Shaharyar said. The PCB chief said he saw very little chance of Pakistan taking part in any triangular series with India at any off-shore venue this year. “There has been some talk about playing a triangular series with India later this year in India or at some off-shore venue. But I doubt whether we would be able to do it. “I don’t want a situation where we go overboard in our efforts to play against each other to make money just because we have resumed cricket ties after a long period,” he was quoted as saying by ‘The News’. Shaharyar said he was not in favour of having matches with India at off-shore venues unless the tournaments were scheduled properly in advance. * Notwithstanding the big hype enveloping the ongoing cricket series, the Interior Ministry has strongly indicted the PCB for the way it has run the series so far. Writing on behalf of Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat, the Federal Interior Secretary Tasneem Noorani in a letter to Shahryar Khan, has expressed serious reservations in the way the last three matches have been organised and openly showed the government’s displeasure. In the letter, Mr Noorani said the PCB had “earned a lot of money” from this series but the people who should have enjoyed the matches have not been provided any facility. — Agencies
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Lahore never had it so good
Lahore, March 21 “We never had it so good in the recent past. In fact, Lahore has not seen so many visitors in last one decade and it promises development for the city, state and the country,’’ is the common refrain here. The Indian cricket team has brought in a big business. The city, starved of visitors, had become a hot bed for fundamentalists but “now we hope things will change for better,’’ said
Imtiaz, a writer and poet who longs to visit the other side of the border from where his parents have migrated. “I never liked cricket. I don’t understand it and I am not going to watch it but I have become the greatest supporter of this game because it broke the barriers of hatred between the two countries.’’ Imtiaz is an exception, in a city which seems has been gripped by the cricket fever. “My children are here from the USA and for the first time they are seeing some non-Pakistanis in Lahore. They are used to cosmopolitan way of living and wanted to know why there are no tourist in Lahore and I had no answer but the cricket has solved my problem to some extent,’’ Irshad Banbar a businessman in the famous Liberty Market said. “Sachin is great but he is a bit Ghamandi (Proud), I waved at him as he was entering the hotel but he did not respond. Saurav is nice he waved,’’ was the reaction of some students who had gone to Hotel Pearl Continental to have a glimpse of the Indian cricketers. “I am a great fan of Sachin, he is too good,’’ said Shezad a class X student of Becon House, the famous public school of the city. The city business men are delighted. “The series has given a new dimension to the relation between the two countries. More people are coming from India and the image of Pakistan will get a boost,’’ was the view of Zulfiqar Ali who is a commerce correspondent of daily Nawa-i
Waqt. The arrival of business delegation has gone down well here. The Ambanis, Munjals, Wadias and host of other top businessmen are here to watch the match. “Their presence will send a positive signal to other businessmen all over the globe that Pakistan is a safe country,’’ added
Zulfiqar. The cricket has done wonders to the city. The hotels have increased their rates by 50 to hundred per cent. For a $ 75 room in Pearl Continental before the series, $ 30 are being charged. “It is a bad business, because hotel of this repute just cannot change tarrifs like that but you can’t help it. They (hotel industry) got such a business after a very long time,’’ said Yusuf Ali, manager of a hotel in Gulberg area. The taxi and three-wheeler drivers have also jacked up the rates. When asked why Indians were charged so much as back home we have been told that Lahoris would not overcharhge their guests, driver Ahmad replied: “Ghada agar ghas se dosti karega to khayega
kya. (If horse become friendly with grass he will die of starvation).’’ “We want friendship, people are keen to be friends but Kashmir is the big hurdle,’’ Zulfaqar Ali told journalists in Lahore Press Club. The Nawa-i-Waqt correspondent hit the nail when he said “for the last five decades it is Kashmir which has been taught to the people of this country and now if anybody dares to change this policy he will not survive. Even Musharaff cannot dare to shift his stand. This is a fact.’’ The overwhelming warmth notwithstanding, the people do say that “India is too big and we have to protect our interests. Just look at this series, it is virtually hijacked by the Indians. Hero-Honda, the co-sponsor of the World Cup, alone has the capacity to run the series, forget Reliance, Tata, Birlas and others,’’ Liaqat Qureshi, a businessman, who deals with
furnitures, told UNI. “India will swamp us and before we go ga-ga, we should protect our industry,” Qureshi, who lives in Rawalpindi but has a business in Peshawar said. “I am here to watch cricket, Sachin disappointed his fans in Peshawar and I hope he clicks here, he is great, a very big cricketer,’’ Qureshi said. “Let us restrict our relations to sports especially to cricket because we can match you (India). Economic relations will take time to take-off,’’ he noted. Just outside the Gaddafi Stadium, as the mediapersons were trooping in, a three wheeler caught the eyes of few who knew urdu. At the back of the three-wheeler, in bold letters it was written “Hame Pakistani hone ka fakhar
hai-Hindustan ki aishyat ka boycott karo (We are proud to be Pakistani, boycott Indian goods.’’
— UNI |
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‘Chacha’ cheers for friendship
Lahore, March 21 He was at the Gadaffi Stadium early this morning hours ahead of the fourth one-day international between India and Pakistan. For sure he was carrying the Pakistani flag, but the song on his lips was different. Barely concealing his emotions, chacha said the series was different. It was not all about winning or losing, but about building bridges and bonds of friendship between the two neighbours. “See for yourself the atmosphere. You cannot miss the goodwill and warmth between the two teams, their fans and between the two countries. Believe me this series is different. The jingoism and the divide that was visible in cricket matches of the past has disappeared. This is truly a dosti (friendship) series”, he said. A group of fans from India promptly recognised him and posed for photos as if Jaleel was the Pakistan captain. Who would win today’s encounter? In his heart Chacha will root for Pakistan but he would not mind if India squared the series. At Peshawar, he had been vocal in shouting slogans supporting the Indians. Who is his favourite Indian player? “Of course it is Sachin Tendulkar, the greatest batsman in the world”, he replies unhesitatingly. But he tells you that Shahid Afridi is popular with girls both in Pakistan and India, just like Ajay Jadeja used to be. The retired municipal foreman used to be sponsored by corporates earlier for his travels round the world which have taken him to 13 countries. Now, it is the Pakistan Cricket Board that sponsors him. “I have taken up this mission to support the Pakistan team and have earned a lot of respect from the people. But this is special, it is not important which team wins, but is the love between the two countries that is the ultimate winner”, he said. “I will support both the teams. I will applaud and cheer for whoever performs well, irrespective of which team he belongs to”. As a recognition to his passion for the game and love for his country’s cricket team, Jaleel was declared the “best supporter” in the World Cups in 1999 and 2003. — PTI
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Rudolph’s unbeaten ton rescues SA
Auckland, March 21 After New Zealand were dismissed for 595 earlier in the day and Martin bowled Graeme Smith first ball when the South African second innings began, the tourists struck back with Herschelle Gibbs compiling a quick 61 before he was out to a dubious leg before wicket decision soon after the 100 came up. While that decision went against South Africa, television replays showed Jacques Rudolph was fortunate to survive an appeal from Daniel Vettori and Jacques Kallis was equally lucky to get the benefit of the doubt on 16 when Scott Styris wrapped him on the pads. But at 249 for two, the luck expired for South Africa and four wickets fell in nine overs for the addition of only 23 runs. The rot started when Kallis, who had been in majestic touch, fell leg before wicket to part-time medium-pacer Craig McMillan for 71, denying him a chance to equal Don Bradman’s world record of centuries in six consecutive Tests. Only Rudolph, unbeaten on 121 at stumps, was able to offer ongoing resistance as wickets fell around him. In the over after Kallis’s fall, Martin had Kirsten leg before wicket for one and McKenzie caught first ball. Eight overs later, with the new ball in hand, Martin seduced Mark Boucher into nicking the ball to Stephen Fleming in slips to end the day with four for 71 off 17 overs. With six wickets in South Africa’s first innings, Martin became the first New Zealand bowler to take 10 wickets against the Proteas in a Test. “He’s having an amazing Test match and hopefully he can come back tomorrow and finish them off,” said Fleming still ruing a dropped catch which denied Martin a seventh wicket in the first innings. Martin’s return to form could not have come at a better time for New Zealand as pace bowling iron horse Daryl Tuffey pulled up lame and has been ruled out of the third Test. SA (Ist innings): 296 New Zealand (Ist innings): (overnight 584-8) Richardson c Gibbs
b Kallis 45 Papps c Boje b Pollock 0 Fleming c Kallis b Ntini 4 Styris c Pollock b Boje 170 McMillan b Pollock 82 McCullum b Ntini 13 Cairns c Kallis b Smith 158 Oram b Ntini 90 Vettori not out 4 Tuffey b Pollock 13 Martin b Pollock 0 Extras
(lb-10, nb-6): 16 Total: (all out,
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-12, 3-137, 4-285, 5-314, 6-349, 7-574, 8-578, 9-595, 10-595. Bowling:
Pollock 32.5-6-113-4, Ntini 36-7-110-3, Terbrugge 22-4-93-0, Kallis 23-1-108-1, Boje 22-2-108-1, McKenzie 2-0-8-0, Rudolph 6-0-26-0, Smith 5-0-19-1. South Africa (2nd innings): Smith b Martin 0 Gibbs lbw Oram 61 Rudolph batting 121 Kallis lbw McMillan 71 Kirsten lbw Martin 1 McKenzie c Papps
Boucher c Fleming
Pollock batting 5 Extras (b-6, lb-1, nb-1) 8 Total:
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-103, 3-249, 4-250, 5-250, 6-272. Bowling: Martin 17-4-71-4, Oram 19-7-43-1, Tuffey 4-1-13-0, Cairns 7-0-47-0, Vettori 19-4-54-0, Styris 13-5-39-0, McMillan 4-1-3-1.
— AFP |
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Rain halts England progress
Port of Spain, March 21 Nearly four and half hours of revised playing time was lost to bad weather and slowed down the progress of the two sides yesterday as England reached 54 for two, replying to the West Indies’ first innings total of 208, when the second rain stoppage of the day forced an early close. Former England captain Nasser Hussain, with 20 not out, and left-hander Mark Butcher, with 25 not out, added 46 for the third wicket to steady the innings, after the early departure of skipper Michael Vaughan and opening partner Marcus Trescothick. The West Indies gained early success when Vaughan was deceived by an inswinging delivery from Pedro Collins and was adjudged lbw for nought in the third over of the innings. Trescothick continued his wretched form on his first tour of the Caribbean when he miscued a hook at a short delivery from Tino Best and was caught at square leg by Adam Sanford for one to leave England eight for two when the first stoppage that lasted over three hours occurred. Both sides would have suffered from the lost time. England looking for a win that would secure a 2-0 lead in the four-Test series were denied the chance of making progress and, possibly, ending the day with a reasonable lead. England coach Duncan Fletcher was more concerned about the state of the pitch, however, and was unwilling to predict what would happen over the next three days. Scoreboard West Indies (1st innings): 208 England (1st innings): Trescothick c Sanford
Vaughan lbw b Collins 0 Butcher not out 25 Hussain not out 20 Extras: (lb-6, nb-2) 8 Total:
(2 wkts, 24.2 overs) 54. Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-8. Bowling:
Collins 9-5-15-1, Best 6-2-15-1, Sanford 6-3-17-0, Collymore 3.2-2-1-0.
— AFP
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Randhawa rallies to finish third at Caltex Masters
New Delhi, March 21 Earlier, Randhawa who was tied-second at the mid-way stage, had shot a 74 on day three to slip down the leaderboard, according to information received here. Legendary European Tour star Colin Montgomerie ran away with the title courtesy a final round 65 and a tournament tally of 16-under 272. The winner pocketed euros 123,041. Greg Hanrahan finished second, three strokes behind the winner at 275, while Nick O’Her finished tied with Randhawa at 276. Arjun Singh, the other Indian in the fray finished 73rd with a tally of six-over 294 for the week. Randhawa’s golfing career has been on an upswing for the past two years. The Indian, won the Order of Merit title on the Asian PGA Tour in 2002. This he followed up with a win at the Suntory Open on his Rookie season on the Japanese PGA Tour in 2003. Earlier, this year, Randhawa finished tied-second at the Johnny Walker Classic and now he another feather on his cap. — PTI
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Kuala Lumpur, March 21 Ferrari’s Schumacher, who won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago, made the perfect start and was never seriously troubled as he led home Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya. The six-time world champion came home five seconds clear of Montoya in the 56-lap race to maintain his 100 per cent start to the season and claim his third win at Sepang and his first in Malaysia since 2001. Montoya made a flying start and benefited from a mistake by Ferrari’s Rubens Barrichello to claim the runners-up spot, while Button was left in ecstasy after finishing in third. BAR driver Button, who had finished fourth on five occasions, finally stood on the podium after an impressive drive to finish ahead of Barrichello. Renault’s Jarno Trulli won a battle with David Coulthard, of McLaren, for fifth place while Fernando Alonso, who started from the back of the grid, scored points in seventh with Sauber’s Felipe Massa eighth. — AFP
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