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Wright hints at Yuvraj opening the innings
Sami gives Pak another
fitness scare Young umpires needed at highest level |
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PTV trying to stifle truth: Qadir Sehwag to tie knot
on April 22 Notes from Pakistan PCB to hire PR firm
Paes-Bhupathi give India 2-1 lead
Petrova halts Serena’s run Dhanraj Pillay, Dhillon excluded Army XI to take on PSB in final JCT hold Dempo to goalless draw JCT’s home matches at Ludhiana FILA invitation for WFI chief Wrestlers to train in Bulgaria Archer Division first India beat Pak in u-14 football
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Wright hints at Yuvraj
opening the innings Islamabad, April 10 “I have always favoured specialists. But this is a (matter of) one Test match and it will be the captain’s call. The captain picks the batting order. Yuvraj Singh has also done well and you cannot sit him out,” Wright told Rediff website. The coach, however, said a permanent opening slot will be decided after the current series.
Backing Rahul Dravid’s decision to bat first after winning the toss, he said Rahul is a confident guy and I am sure his decision was a confident and positive one. Had we batted to our potential then his decision would have been justified. “We had not faced Umar Gul before and he came in and bowled very well. His line and length was very good. He picked crucial wickets and we could not sustain the fury of the first two hours on the first morning. But we can’t stand looking at those decisions.” The coach agreed that India had conceded the momentum to the hosts by their defeat in the second Test in Lahore. “I am hoping that we play better in the next game. Pakistan is now a confident side and favourites for the final Test. The momentum is with them and home conditions are finally with them.” Reflecting on the Lahore debacle, he said, “We have been getting important opening partnerships and that helped the side a lot. Dravid always comes in and hangs around for a good period. That didn’t happen in this Test. “Tendulkar was unlucky with the decision that he got in the first innings. But, then, that’s cricket. We’ve always had big partnerships and even that didn’t happen. So all our departments fell short in a way and that showed in the final result.” Asked about the controversial declaration in the Multan Test, Wright said, “The declaration was Rahul’s decision. It was not an easy declaration to make, but I guess it is just one of those calls a skipper has to take. “It was a decision in the interest of the team. It was a decision taken for cricketing reasons. But one thing is clear, and that is the emphasis is on the team and not on an individual. “And any team that goes the other way around will be treading on dangerous ground. All have to answer the call of the team. If it means changing your natural style, so be it; if it means bowling a different way, then so be it.” The coach believed that India had the potential to become number one in the world. “We surely have the potential to be number one. We just need to find certain players for certain areas; until then Australia is the number one team in the world. “India can beat anyone in the world, but Australia can do that more consistently. I don’t believe in the ranking system at all. We are only as good as our last performance. We need some fast bowling resources to be number one. Wright had words of praise for ‘Rawalpindi Express’ Shoaib Akhtar. “Akhtar is good for Test cricket. Fast bowlers are always good for the game. Batsmen have to play out of their skins to counter him. He has not got too many wickets but the series is a long way to go. Akhtar surely has some pace that can unsettle the best. He’s what you look to have in your side. We’d like to have a Shoaib Akhtar in our side.”
— PTI |
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Sami gives Pak another
fitness scare Rawalpindi, April 10 Seamer Umar Gul was ruled out of the third Test with a back injury on Friday while pace bowler Shabbir Ahmed (shin), all-rounder Abdul Razzaq (back) and wicketkeeper Moin Khan (groin strain) missed the second Test. “Sami has complained of back pain since the series started. Though has braved it so far, he is in more pain since Friday,” Pakistan coach Javed Miandad said today. “He is getting treatment and there is still time before the match. So, we remain hopeful,” he said. “Gul showed a lot of courage to play in Lahore because after his opening spell in the morning, he collapsed with a stiff and painful back,” Miandad said. “But he went out, batted and then bowled in the second innings after taking injections,” he added. Pakistan have included pace bowlers Fazl-e-Akbar, Abdul Rauf, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Rao Iftikar, in a 17-man squad for the final Test.
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Young umpires needed at highest level In the Multan and Lahore Test matches, the standard of umpiring has come under lot of criticism. In international cricket, the two men at the centre have a tough job in hand. They are assigned to go through the game pedantically for all five days of a Test match without missing a single event. The decisions they make not only make or break the future of the cricketers sometimes, but also have a huge bearing on the result of the match. The International Cricket Council is also very much aware of this fact. In order to maintain high standards of umpiring, it regularly restructures the international umpiring panel. Earlier, one of the main things that mostly bothered the touring teams was about the host umpires standing in the games. There was always a chance that any decision going against the visitors would be unfairly concluded as a biased one. At the same time, the local umpires’ love and affection for their country getting in the way of the decision was not an uncommon thing. The ICC’s initial policy of having a home umpire along with a neutral umpire was soon changed to two neutral umpires to avoid all controversies. An elite umpiring body was set up with efforts made to give representations to almost every Test playing country. This elite panel, serving as neutral umpires along with the wired third umpire, is supposed to make foolproof decisions. But the teams are still moaning and complaints are still being made to the match referees at regular basis. It leads to the question whether the current set of umpires is incompetent or just being made scapegoats by the losing teams. Umpiring is never an easy job. The umpires are expected to make split-second decision on a faint nick or a subtle bat-pad catch. They also have to decide on the path of the ball hitting the stumps. In noisy stadiums, it is impossible to correctly hear every time the sound of the ball hitting bat or pad. Well-orchestrated appeals from the fielding sides that come in the form off pleading can equally deceive the umpires. The commentators’ deliberations on the decisions can cause enough damage to the confidence of the umpires. The commentators have the luxury of having the technology in front of them and time to decide and discuss the decision in minute details. And when the big screens inside the ground display the replays of one of the wrong decisions, it certainly brings about a paralysing sense of guilt in the minds of umpires. In my experience, I have seen umpires turning pale in such situations and becoming more inconsistent. The hawk-eye view showing the leg before decisions is the most inconsistent technology. Technology like hawk-eye can enrich the information of the broadcaster but the correctness of the technology can always be questioned. The path shown by the hawk-eye is definitely doubtful. The media, these days, has become heavily dependent on these technologies to gauge the correctness of the decisions. The ICC must check the credibility of such tools before allowing the broadcasters to use it. A slightest deviation in the technology means misleading millions of viewers. Human error is natural, but misleading technology can even doubt a good decision made by the umpire. First class cricketers these days are seriously taking up the job of umpiring. The ICC also is encouraging the idea. Some of the current umpires are getting too old for the job. The fitness level of the umpires is an important factor for the smooth running of the game. The hearing abilities and the vision are the key ingredients of umpiring. A 40-year-old first class cricketer with 10 years of experience as a player, I feel, can make a good umpire. An ageing umpire may be more experienced, but senility does not help in giving right decisions.
— Chivach Sports |
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PTV trying to stifle truth: Qadir
Lahore, April 10 Qadir, however, claimed that he had not received any
information regarding his sacking, but if he did, he would not hesitate to take the matter to the court. “I have not received any official communication on this, but the courts will decide if this happens. When they signed me up for the series, I was not told what I could speak and what I could not. The real problem is, nobody wants to hear the truth,” Qadir said. However, according to local daily ‘The News’, critics have expressed surprise over the “antics of Qadir who has been demanding money for giving interviews to Indian channels and media during the series”. “If he wanted to speak the so-called truth, why didn’t he do it earlier? Why did he remain quiet when the PCB was assisting him in every manner to set up his cricket academy in Lahore?” asked former Test cricketer Rashid Khan. During a PTV special cricket programme that enjoys mass viewership in Pakistan, the host had asked Qadir about Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami being off-colour in the current series. Qadir’s response stunned his fellow panelists, including the former Test fast bowler Aaqib Javed. “We all know the ball has always been made up by Pakistani fast bowlers, but with so much scrutiny on this series, this has not been possible.
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Sehwag to tie
knot on April 22 The marriage ceremony would be held on the lawns of 9, Ashok Road adjoining the BJP headquarters, which is also being partly used for party work, besides serving as a residence for senior party leaders J. P. Mathur and Prakash Javadekar. Jaitley, who is president of DDCA, had suggested to Sehwag’s father that the marriage be held at 9 Ashok Road which he was not using as his personal residence, party sources said.
— PTI |
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Notes from Pakistan The Pakistan cricket authorities are skeptical over whether enough crowds would turn up to watch the third and final Test at Rawalpindi beginning April 13. They feel that it would be a great achievement if even half of the seats would be occupied. “If the poor response from fans in the first two Tests at Multan and Lahore is any indication, I fear Rawalpindi will be no different. I will be surprised if half the seats are taken,” The News quoted PCB spokesman Sami-ul Hasan as saying here Friday. One of the reasons being touted behind the poor response for Tests, was the growing perception among the masses that this is a “friendship tour” in more senses than one. The paper quoted Sohail Ali, a respected journalist from Lahore, as saying: “When Pakistan led 2-1 in the one-dayers, my neighbourhood shopkeeper told me that India will draw level and win the decider. That’s exactly what happened. He, like many others, believes the series has been fixed, not by bookmakers, but by the respective governments which regard the tour as an integral part of peace moves between the two countries.” “Add the fact that people are not allowed to bring food and water into the stadium because of the tight security and the prevailing hot weather, I am not surprised the stands are empty. They can bear the discomfort for one day, but not for five days of a Test match, even if it is against India.” The PCB also blames India’s insistence on playing the crowd-pulling one-day series before the Test matches for the diminishing interest in the tour. “If the Tests had been played first, they would have attracted full houses like the one-dayers did,” said PCB chief executive Rameez Raja. He added: “But the Indians were adamant, and we had no choice but to give in because the important thing was that the tour took place.” * Indian Test opener Virender Sehwag has almost demolished the Pakistan pace attack, since he is unlike any other opening batsman the world has seen, said former Pakistan cricket captain Asif Iqbal in an article published in the Daily Times on Saturday. According to him, the Pakistan pace attack has not shown its true strength so far in the ongoing Test series against India. Iqbal said that apart from that one outstanding spell from Umar Gul and Shoaib’s spell on the fourth morning of the second Test, the seam attack has never looked genuinely threatening, the sort of attack that suggests it could take a wicket with almost every delivery. The full rhythm is not there yet. Rhythm is something that has to be established early in a game and perhaps they have been upset by Sehwag, “who is unlike any opening batsman the world has known”. Showering praises on Indian Test wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel’s performance with the bat, the veteran cricketer said that the Indian camp can think of letting him open the innings. Patel’s handling of Shoaib and Sami on the final day at Lahore was exemplary, he said adding that he had the guts, and notwithstanding his very young appearance, was a fighter. * Pakistan cricket coach Javed Miandad should be allowed to continue in his present position since he is very dedicated, hard working and excellent cricket coach, the country’s former skipper Rashid Latif has said. “I may have had my difference of opinion with him when I was captain but this much I can vouch he is a very dedicated, hard working and excellent cricket coach who knows how to get the best out of the players,” The News quoted Rashid as saying here Friday. He said that Miandad was without doubt the best coach in the country, and the best man to handle the team at this stage.He played a big role in the rebuilding process after the World Cup. And today if there is improvement in the younger players like Imran Farhat, Taufeeq or Yasir it is because of the quality time he has spent with them,” the veteran wicket-keeper added. It may be recalled that recently PCB Chief Shahryar Khan had indicated that the Board might “review” the contract with Miandad after the India series. Rashid also outlined his plans to hold comprehensive coaching clinic for wicketkeepers in the country as soon as the series was over and the domestic season got over. “I have got a lot from Pakistan cricket and I would like to transfer some of my experience and skills as a wicketkeeper to the present generation like Kamran Akmal for example,” he said. — ANI
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PCB to hire PR firm LAHORE: Beset with controversies over the past two years, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to hire a public relations firm to boost its sagging image.
Both consultants have impressed upon the PCB chief that the organisation urgently needs to improve its image.
— PTI
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Paes-Bhupathi give India 2-1 lead
Osaka (Japan), April 10 Paes and Bhupathi outplayed the Japanese pair on their way to a 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 victory at Utsubo Tennis Centre to go ahead of Japan in the second round tie. “It was important for us to win the doubles,” said Paes, who defeated Takao Suzuki in yesterday’s singles. “This is one of the rubbers we count on. I have to play all three days so we didn’t want this to go to a fifth set today.” The two nations split the singles matches yesterday and will play reverse singles matches tomorrow. The winner will advance to September’s playoff ties for the World Group. In today’s doubles, Paes and Bhupathi took control early. India broke serve in the first set to go up 3-1 before winning the next three games. Japan desperately tried to get back in the match. India took a 4-1 lead in the third set but Shimada and Terachi battled back to win the next five games. “We lost our concentration there after being up 4-1 in the third,” said Bhupathi. “We were winning so easily that maybe we let up a bit and allowed them to get back in the game. But at the end of the day we got the win and that’s what counts.” India also took a commanding 3-0 lead in the final set, but Japan fought back to make it 5-5. Paes and Bhupathi held serve to go up 6-5 and then broke serve to close out the victory in 2 hours and 9 minutes. Paes said the pressure is now clearly on the hosts. — AP
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Petrova halts Serena’s run
New York, April 10 Seventh seed Petrova capitalised on the rustiness of the former world number one to triumph in one hour, 17 minutes and set up a semifinal clash with Lindsay Davenport. Fourth seed Davenport made light work of finishing off her delayed third-round match from Thursday night, taking two games to beat Australian Alicia Molik 6-4, 7-5. The American then returned to oust Argentine Paola Suarez 6-4, 6-1 in the quarterfinals. Williams’ defeat means the anticipated first meeting of the year with world number one Justine Henin-Hardenne will have to wait. The two players were scheduled to clash in the final. The Belgian kept up her end of the bargain, overcoming Russian eighth seed Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 6-3. But Henin-Hardenne was far from comfortable, saving five break points in the first set. She would meet third seed Amelie Mauresmo in today’s other semifinal after the Frenchwoman beat Italian tenth seed Silvia Farina Elia 6-4, 6-3.
— Reuters |
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Dhanraj Pillay, Dhillon excluded
New Delhi, April 10 Several senior players, including Dhanraj Pillay and Baljit Singh Dhillon, were not included in the 18-member squad, which would play two tournaments in Canberra and Sydney from April 14 to 18 and April 21 to 25 respectively. Both strikers Pillay and Dhillon were not part of the 22-member probables’ list announced by the IHF last week. “Players like Pillay and Dhillon are vastly experienced and so they can join the team at any moment. The move to give the youngsters a chance in Australia is aimed at giving them exposure before the Olympics,” chief coach Rajinder Singh said. For rookie players like Raju, Jatinder Pal Singh and Sunil Yadav, this would be their first international event at the senior level. Rajinder said players like Harpal Singh and Ajit Pal Singh were part of various developmental teams in the past and would be tested during the upcoming tournaments. “More than winning in Autralia, our focus is to develop the side for the Olympics. We will be working on certain areas like drag-flick conversion and mid-field and the young players will get a chance to prove their potential,” he said. Also missing from the squad is mid-fielder Vikram Pillay. Team: goalkeepers: Devesh Chauhan, Bharat Kumar Chhetri; full-backs: Dilip Tirkey, Kanwalpreet Singh, Jatinder Pal Singh. half-backs: Ignace Tirkey, Bimal Lakra, Harpal Singh, Viren Rasquinha, Len Aiyappa; forwards: Gagan Ajit Singh, Prabhjot Singh, Arjun Halappa, Inderjeet Kumar, Deepak Thakur, Raju, Ajit Pal Singh, Sunil Yadav. — PTI
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Army XI to take
on PSB in final
Kolkata, April 10 While PSB struck a last-minute winner to get the better of Punjab Police, Army XI scored the first-ever golden goal in the tourney’s 109-year history to prevail over Corp of Signal in extra time in semifinal matches played at the CCFC ground. The bankmen attacked from the outset, but fell behind in the 16th minute when Jaskaran Singh found the target for Punjab Police by converting the only penalty corner that came his side’s way during the game. Stung by the reverse, PSB stepped up the attack and Mandeep Singh missed a golden chance by hitting into the body of rival goalkeeper Manpreet Singh. Manpreet, who put up a sterling display, bringing off fine saves, earlier saved a rasping hit from Baljit Singh Chandi in the 12th minute. PSB, winners in 1999 and 2000, continued to press and got the equaliser in the 28th minute with Sharanjit Singh converting a penalty corner. The bankmen suffered a setback when former Indian international Baljit Singh Saini got injured in the 33rd minute and had to leave the field, but there was no let-up in their attack in the second session.
— PTI |
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JCT hold Dempo to goalless draw Margao, April 10 Dempo, who beat JCT earlier in the first leg, now have collected 32 points from 17 matches while JCT remained on sixth place with 26 points from 17 matches. Dempo dominated the match throughout with quick short passes with Jose Colaco and Mohammed Gafari controlling the midfield and created several openings but were let down by their strikers who were erratic in their shots when well placed inside the box. With time running out, Dempo made frantic effort to find the equaliser in the dying minutes but failed as Sunday Seah, who had the opportunities twice, shot out.
— PTI |
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JCT’s home matches
at Ludhiana Chandigarh, April 10 The matches, to be played under floodlights, will begin at 6.30 p.m., according to Mr Inder Singh, secretary, Punjab Football Association. |
FILA invitation
for WFI chief Chandigarh, April 10 As many as seven Indian wrestlers have qualified for the Olympic. They are Yogeshwar Dutt (55 kg), Palwinder Cheema (120 kg), Anuj Chaudhary (84 kg), Ramesh (66 kg), Sushil Kumar (60 kg) and Sujit Mann (74 kg) in Free Style wrestling, and Kirpa Shanker Patel in Greco Roman section. Mrs Malik has been a keen the promoter of female wrestling in the country. Indian female wrestlers won the laurels for the nation in the Asian Wrestling Championship held in New Delhi. Female wrestling was introduced in the Asian Wrestling Championship for the first time. Women wrestlers will now take part in the Olympic this year for the first time. |
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Wrestlers to train in Bulgaria Panchkula, April 10 Malik said the federation was hopeful of a fine performance by the Indian wrestlers in Athens. At least three wrestlers — Palwinder Cheema, Yogeshwar Dutt and Ramesh Kumar — have bright chances of winning medals in the games, he added. “We have also got CII and Ambuja Cement as sponsors for the wrestling team. For the first time, a sports psychologist will be accompanying the team. A physiotherapist will also take care of their needs,” Mr Malik said.
— PTI
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Archer
Division first Ambala, April 10 Lt General JJ Singh, GOC-in-C Western Command, was the chief guest. General Singh said that the Western Command athletics meet had been started after a gap of 12 years. “From now onwards, it will be held every year,” he said. General Singh said that at one point of time, Army athletes were among the best in the country. “We have examples like Milkha Singh. We must strive to ensure that our tricolour flies proudly in international meets,” he said. The Western Command athletics team has been selected out of the winners in each event. The team will represent the Command in the forthcoming Services Athletics Championship to be held at Arty Centre, Hyderabad. In today’s final events, 110m hurdles,
L/Nk Nagendra Singh of Archer Division was first, Cfn Ombir Singh of Ram division was second while
L/Nk Brijender Singh of Black Elephant Division was third. In 100 m, LD P Borah of Black Elephant division was first,
L/Nk Kuldip Singh of Archer division was second, while Gunner Mathew Varghese of Panther division was third. In triple jump, Gunner Kamlesh Rajan of Golden Arrow division was first, Sep Avdhesh Kumar of Black Elephant division was second while Sep Pramod Kumar of Ram Division was third. In steeple chase, Hav Chander Hans of Ran Bankura division was first,
L/Nk Alok Kumar of Panther Division was second while Sepoy Om Pal of Ram Division was third. In relay race, Black Elephant division was first, Archer division team was second while Panther Division was third.
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India beat Pak
in u-14 football New Delhi, April 10 The all-important goal was scored by inside-right Sanjay Boro in the 41st minute following a free kick, according to information received here.
— PTI |
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