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Aussies thump SA
Langer returns
Sehwag keen to regain form
Big challenge bowling to Haq,
Younis, says Harbhajan
Busy year ahead for Indian players
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Pak veterans take 2-1 lead
FLASHBACK
2005: indian sports
Indian Airlines, PSB in final
Bhiwani boys shine in athletics
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Aussies thump SA
Melbourne, December 30 Dismissed for 181 in pursuit of an improbable winning target of 366, South Africa’s Shaun Pollock put up stubborn resistance to stall Australia’s charge and the all-rounder finished unbeaten on 67 after Ntini was removed for two. The win gives Australia a 1-0 lead in the three-match series and any chance the tourists had of saving the Test were dashed yesterday afternoon when they were reduced to 99-6 by the close of play. Mike Hussey was named man of the match after he scored 122 in Australia’s first innings and combined with Glenn McGrath in an 107-run 10th wicket partnership that pushed the world champions to 355 on their first innings. The Australians then bowled South Africa out for 311, giving them a 44-run lead before Matthew Hayden (137) and Andrew Symonds (72) combined for a brutal 124-run partnership in 66 minutes after lunch yesterday that gave their side the necessary impetus to declare at 321 South Africa made a cautious start to their second innings and after reaching 39 without loss, the tourists lost six wickets for 43 runs to leave themselves an almost impossible task of surviving the entire final day with just four wickets intact. However, the home side’s hopes of wrapping up the win before the interval on Friday were thwarted by Pollock, who combined aggression with intelligent stroke play to reach the lunch break on 66 not out, with his side on 180-9. Leading the attack, Shane Warne had figures of 4-74 and McGrath 3-44 as the pair combined to take the three wickets to fall in the morning. Ashwell Prince, who had resumed on 16, was the junior partner in a 48-run partnership with Pollock before he was adjudged to have been caught by Matthew Hayden off Warne for 26. Television replays, however, appeared to show the ball had bounced off his arm and was nowhere near his glove or bat when it ballooned away in front of Hayden who had to dive to catch it. Nicky Boje also did his best to ensure the game did not end early today with a watchful 13 off 38 balls before he played back to a McGrath delivery and chopped the ball onto his stumps to leave the visitors 166 for eight. Andre Nel was the next man to go when he chased a wide delivery from McGrath and edged an easy catch to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist for two. Nel, whose competitive nature has made him both a crowd favourite and hate figure, was visibly angry with himself as he walked off. The first Test in Perth ended in a draw and the third and final Test starts in Sydney on Monday. Scoreboard Australia (1st innings) 355 South Africa (1st innings) 311 Australia (2nd innings) 321 for 7 South Africa (2nd innings) Smith c Gilchrist b McGrath 25 De Villiers st Gilchrist b Warne 8 Gibbs b Warne 9 Kallis c Gilchrist b Symonds 9 Prince c Hayden b Warne 26 Rudolph b Symonds 4 Boucher c Ponting b Warne 5 Pollock not out 67 Boje b McGrath 13 Nel c Gilchrist b McGrath 2 Ntini b MacGill 2 Extras
(lb-6, nb-4, w-1) 11 Total (all out, 74 overs) 181 Fall of
wickets: 1-39, 2-45, 3-58, 4-64, 5-72, 6-82, 7-130, 8-166, 9-178, 10-181. Bowling:
McGrath 15-3-44-3, Lee 11-4-23-0, Warne 28-7-74-4, Symonds 4-2-6-2, MacGill 16-7-28-1.
— Reuters |
Langer returns
Melbourne: Batsman Justin Langer has been recalled to Australia’s squad for next week’s third Test against South Africa in Sydney after recovering from a hamstring injury. Langer missed the second Test after straining his hamstring in the drawn first Test in Perth.
New South Wales opener Phil Jaques, who made his debut in Melbourne, scoring two and 28, has dropped out of the squad in the only change to side that beat South Africa on Friday. Nathan Bracken is likely to be named 12th man again for the match given the spinning nature of the pitch at the Sydney Cricket Ground, with Australia expected to retain the twin leg-spinning option of Shane Warne and Stuart
MacGill. Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Nathan Bracken, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hodge, Michael Hussey, Justin Langer, Brett Lee, Stuart
MacGill, Glenn McGrath, Andrew Symonds and Shane Warne. — Reuters
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Sehwag keen to regain form
New Delhi, December 30 “I know, I have not played up to the expectations, especially in the one-day games. I have been scoring 20-30s but could not convert them into big innings,” the swashbuckling opener told news channel Aaj Tak in an interview. However, Sehwag still sounded confident said, “I believe this (poor form) is thing of past. In the new year, the people will see a new Sehwag with a new technique and I am confident of making good scores.” The “Butcher of Najafgarh”, instrumental in India’s historic win over Pakistan in 2004, seemed upbeat on the forthcoming tour across the border and hoped to repeat the feat. “Pakistan will be a tough series but I have played well against in past. This time too, I am confident that I will do well for the team and we will win the series,” he said. That he would perform better as a middle order batsman, Sehwag begged to differ. “I don’t think so! I have played better than many players who have played for India in the recent past. I have only one century while playing in the middle order as compared to nine as an opening batsman. By any standard, it’s a good performance,” Sehwag said and cited that he fared better than contemporaries like V.V.S. Laxman, Akash Chopra Wasim Jaffer et al. The dashing Delhiite also reminded that every batsman, including Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, had witnessed phases of poor form in his career. Sehwag also seemed reluctant to attach to much importance to a coach’s role in the team's success. “Coach plays an important role in the team but it is eventually the team which has to perform.” On being asked who was the best captain he has ever seen, the one time lieutenant of deposed skipper Sourav Ganguly matter-of-factly named the southpaw alongside Aussie Steve Waugh. And who was the best batsman? Pat came the reply “Sachin Tendulkar”.
— UNI |
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Big challenge bowling to Haq, Younis, says Harbhajan Jalandhar, December 30 Harbhajan admitted that the expectations of the fans as well as the media put a lot of pressure on the players. The performance-based contract system introduced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) kept the players on their toes, he said. The spinner would support Sher-e-Jallandhar in the second edition of the Premier Hockey league (PHL) beginning on January 5 in Chandigarh. “Sher-e-Jallandhar captain Gagan Ajit Singh is my friend and I hope he will lead his team to victory,” he said. Talking about his passion for music, Harbhajan said he would feature in the music video of Teji Sandhu’s album
“Gori”.
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Busy year ahead for Indian players
Chandigarh, December 30 In 2005, the return of a Punjab player, Gagan Ajit Singh, as captain of the Indian hockey team was a positive step for the state, which used to have a long list of players captaining the Indian team. But the pathetic show by the home team at the Champions Trophy in Chennai proved to be a dampener. Ludhiana played host to the Asian cycling meet which was held in the country after a long time. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) Men’s Futures Tennis meet was held in Chandigarh where large number of foreign players took part. The Indian bid for the 2014 Asian Games gained momentum as the Government of India backed the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) commitment to hold these games in Delhi. Now only Korea and India are left in the fray and the final decision would be taken in December, 2006, during the Doha Asian Games. The preparation for hosting the 2010 Commonwealth Games began in full swing with new the Commonwealth Games secretariat opened at the JLN stadium in New Delhi. Randhir Singh, Secretary General of the IOA, was conferred with the Order of Merit award by the Olympic Council of Asia for his exemplary contribution to the cause of sports in the Asian continent. Punjab girl Avneet Sidhu was selected as member of the Indian women rifle shooting team for the Commonwealth Games. She shot 400/400 in the 10 m air rifle in the trials, which is a world class score. Arvind Khanna, was once again re-elected President of the Fencing Association of India. Sunaina Kumari was elected the new president of the Bowling Federation of India while M.P. Pandove was elected Joint Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Bhupinder Singh senior, a former cricketer of Punjab, was included in the national selection committee. The tussle between the two rival factions of the School Games Federation of India continued in 2005 also as P.S. Chhabra faction and A.K. Mishra faction organised separate National School Games. The feud in the Punjab Olympic Association intensified as elections were not held for the past almost one year. |
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Pak veterans take 2-1 lead
Lucknow, December 30 Batting first, India lost opener Manoj Prabhakar cheaply but Pravin Amre and Atul Wassan steadied the innings. Azhar (111 not out) and Amre (51) added 108 runs for the third wicket. Guided by two masterly knocks, the hosts piled up 243 for three in 35 overs. Chasing the target, Mansoor Akhtar and man of the match Ejaz Ahmed guided the team to victory with 14 balls and five wickets in hand.
— UNI |
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Sania became the toast of the nation
Abhaya Srivastva
New Delhi, December 30 Sania mania gripped the nation and forced the West to sit up and take notice of the raging teen talent who rewrote history books with her exploits at various Grand Slams as well as Tour events. Her status as the new star on the Indian sporting horizon could be gauged from the simple figure — she started the year ranked world number 169 but ended it on 34. Danglers and whacky T-Shirt-sporting Sania became the first Indian to win a WTA event and the first to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam during the US Open where pitted against the Indian was no other but top-ranked Russian beauty Maria Sharapova. Sania lost in straight sets but by then the “Hyderabadi Hurricane” had taken the world by storm with her exploits on the court and off it. During the year, she also upset the then reigning US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova at the Dubai Open. Sania has now set upon herself to breach more barriers in the season ahead, armed with a new fitness staff and a stint with legendary Tony Roche.Cricket was rocked by controversies centred around Sourav Ganguly. The image of a sulking Ganguly splashed across the dailies would linger on for long after the “Prince of Kolkata” was treated like a commoner and left facing the prospect of carrying drinks for the very team-mates he had not long ago led with aplomb. But this travesty of fate was averted with the national selectors finally deciding to throw a lifeline to the most successful captain of India in the form of a berth in the Test squad which is to tour Pakistan shortly. But apart from the unsavoury Sourav “soap opera”, the Indian team quietly lifted its sagging fortunes late in the year under new skipper Rahul Dravid with whopping wins in both one-dayers and Tests against Sri Lanka. They also drew 2-2 with South Africa in a one-day series at home. India also registered their first series win outside the sub-continent since 1986 when they won in Zimbabwe, but the quality of the opposition took the shine off the achievement of Ganguly’s men. However, all was not hunky-dory as the Indians suffered the ignominy of losing to arch-rivals Pakistan in the one-day series at home and sharing honours in the preceding three-Test series. What came as a breath of fresh air was exciting prospects in young wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Irfan Pathan. Among the tried and tested, Sachin Tendulkar made a successful return from a painful elbow injury and duly erased Sunil Gavaskar’s record for maximum Test centuries by hitting his 35th ton against Sri Lanka. A change in the set-up at the BCCI, following court-room battles and mud slingings galore from Jagmohan Dalmiya and Sharad Pawar camps, promised better times from days of anarchy and unprofessionalism. If one sport cut a really a sorry figure, it was hockey, which touched the nadir in what was ironically the birth centenary of legendary Dhyan Chand. India fared badly in all three international tournaments they participated in — fifth in seven-nation Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia in May, seventh in eight-nation Rabo tournament in Holland in August and sixth in the six-nation Champions Trophy in Chennai in December. The sacking of coach Gerhard Rach, who called the Indian Hockey Federation a “madhouse” and the flip-flops by the IHF also added to the disillusionment of the fans. Rajinder Singh Jr was given the charge of the team but the step hardly made any difference to the performance graph of the Indian team. A largely lacklustre year in Indian football ended on a positive note when the national team regained its regional supremacy by winning the SAFF Championship in Karachi. The championship was the first assignment for Syed Nayeemuddin, who took over as national coach in October for the third time. The coach also brought back Bhaichung Bhutia, with whom he had had differences in the past, as skipper, and the Sikkimese striker repaid the faith by scoring in the SAFF Cup final against Bangladesh. In motorsports, Narain Karthikeyan put India on the Formula One map. After an eventful season with Jordan, which culminated with his involvement in a spectacular crash in the season-ending leg in Shanghai, Narain was weighing his limited options in the coming season. However, credit should be given to the doughty Indian for blazing the trail for other aspiring enthusiasts to dream big in motorsports. As for athletics, the year would be remembered not only for the glory brought to the country by long jump queen Anju Bobby George and other talented youngsters but also for doping scandals which are sadly becoming regular occurrences. Anju, lay low for most of the first six months of 2005 owing to illness and injury but sprang to limelight in September, winning the gold at the 16th Asian Athletics Championship in Incheon, South Korea. After becoming the first Indian to make it to the World Athletics Finals in Monaco, Anju made history yet again by claiming silver in the elite eight-women field. The Indian climbed to the fourth spot in the long jump rankings of the International Association of Athletics Federations. She is the only Asian in top 20 of the list. Neelam Jaswant Singh found herself embroiled in a doping scandal while weightlifters reaped the harvest of their own doings at the Athens Olympics last year, having to undergo a year-long ban. Boxing gave the country a starlet in M C Marykom who successfully spearheaded the team to its maiden title triumph in the Asian Championship. Marykom also returned with the gold from the World Boxing Championship. Indian shooters reigned at the Asian Championships at Bangkok, which they swept for the first time with Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore becoming the first-ever shooter to romp home the winner three times on the trot, and the Commonwealth Championships, where they emerged on top with 28 medals, including 14 gold. However, it was a none-too-impressive performance in the four World Cups as only a few Indians made it to the finals. But none of them could lay their hands on even a single quota place on offer for the first time in the immediate next year after the Olympics. — PTI
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Indian Airlines, PSB in final
New Delhi, December 30 But the spirit of sportsmanship took a beating by the free-for-all following the match between players of Indian Airlines and Namdhari XI, which left Olympian Deepak Thakur with a deep gash on his hand. The fight started after the first semifinal when losers Namdharis went to the warm-up area where Indian Oil players were getting ready for their semifinal clash against Punjab and Sind Bank. Tempers reportedly ran high over the recent switching of sides by Didar Singh from Indian Oil to Namdharis. Deepak Thakur, who tried to play the peace-maker, got caught in the fight, which left him bleeding. He had to be taken to hospital, albeit after he played in the semifinal. With too many internationals figuring in both semifinals, the contests were fast and furious. Indian Airlines were rather lucky to get past Namdhari XI, thanks to Sandeep Singh’s ability to convert penalty corners with his brilliant drag-flicks. He scored the first goal in the 18th minute and the second 12 minutes into the second half off penalty corners. Punjab and Sind Bank created an upset of sort when they hit back to oust Indian Oil, packed with Olympians, 2-1. Indian Oil took the lead when Prabhjot Singh scored a goal in the third minute. Despite the bank men’s spirited assaults, Indian Oil clung on to their slender lead till 12 minutes into the second half. The complexion of the contest changed when Ajit Pal Singh equalised for the bank in the 43rd minute. It was a do-or-die fight thereafter, and the argument was settled when Navpreet Singh converted a penalty stroke in the 50th minute. Namdhari XI will meet Indian Oil in the playoff for the third place while Indian Airlines will clash with Punjab and Sind Bank in the title match tomorrow afternoon. |
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Big win for Surjit academy
Jalandhar, December 30 Surjit academy led 6-2 at half time. Lakhwinder Singh converted a penalty corner in the third minute, while Manpreet scored in the 15th and 17th minutes. Swaranjit Singh converted a penalty stroke in the 31st minute. Manpreet scored again in the 31st minute, while Deepak Sharma scored a goal in the 35th minute. For the SAI Centre of Excellence, Sandeep Singh scored in the 27th minute, while Kulbhushan Sharma struck in the 32nd and 40th minutes. Lakhwinder Singh scored his second goal that saw Surjit academy increase the winning margin (7-3). |
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Bhiwani boys shine in athletics
Rohtak, December 30 Rohtak boys clinched badminton and kho-kho titles, got the second position in 4x400m relay and 800m and finished third in 100m and 200m races. Jind’s Surinder won laurels in 400m, Jaswant finished on top in 1500m and Jitender leaped to glory in long jump. In basketball, DRM School of Ruruki in Rohtak district finished first. Holy Child Senior Secondary School, Hisar, and DAV School, Ballabhgarh, got the second and third positions, respectively. In football, Government Senior Secondary School, Bhiwani, Jat High School, Rohtak, and Saini Senior Secondary School, Rewari, got the first three positions, respectively. In kabaddi, Government High School Budsham (Panipat) secured the first position, while Government High Chamarian (Rohtak) were runners-up.
— OSR |
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Harikrishna 2nd
Pamplona, December 30 |
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