India to play tri-series in Lanka in September

Mumbai, May 3
The Indian cricket team would head for Sri Lanka in September for a triangular series, also featuring the hosts and South Africa while another tri-series in North America was in the pipeline, the BCCI said today.

“We are playing a tri-series in Sri Lanka in September with South Africa as the third team. But nothing has yet been decided about a tri-series in North America though it’s in the pipeline,” said BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah.

Shah said the second tri-series was expected to feature India, West Indies and Australia though “nothing concrete has been decided”.

Shah denied media reports that the West Indies had been bought over by the Asian lobby which bid successfully to host the 2011 World Cup in the Indian sub-continent at the recent International Cricket Council’s Executive Board meeting.

“How can you say the West Indies have been bought over.

Had they voted for Australia and New Zealand, would you say they were bought over by that group? Yes, their vote in our favour was important in clinching the bid,” Shah said.

Shah said that the board had already committed itself to help raise funds for the West Indies board much before the bidding process and that was the reason India were to play a four-Test series in the Caribbean instead of the earlier planned best-of-three rubber.

“We are playing the fourth Test on request of the West Indies Cricket Board. We are helping them raise funds,” he said on his return from Dubai.

India are to visit West Indies to play five ODIs and four Tests from May 18 to July 4.

Pakistan pulls out

Abu Dhabi: Pakistan have refused to play in a proposed tri-series involving India and Australia in September here, following which Abu Dhabi might lose its host status to North America.

“Pakistan have said they will be arriving late from their England tour and then with the Ramadan it will be difficult for them to play in the proposed tournament,” said senior Indian Cricket Board functionary I S Bindra, who was here in connection with the 2011 World Cup bid.

The former BCCI President said India and Australia were looking at the series as a build-up for the Champions Trophy but now they might oblige the West Indies to raise funds after they helped Asia win the bid.

“India and Australia were looking at using the event as preparation for the Champions Trophy in October. However, our experience in April here has indicated that it will be pretty warm in September. The idea is to play in a centre which has temperatures akin to North India where most of the Champions Trophy matches will be played.

“The Indian board also has an obligation to West Indies who helped us in our 2011 bid. They have sought our help to raise funds with three ODIs in North America. At that time in August-September the climate is good there. So that is another factor which the Indian Board will have to consider,” Bindra was quoted as saying in media reports here.

“The ICC has said that we can play in the country where the Champions Trophy is being held if there is a gap of more than seven days. So North India is also an option while Singapore and Malaysia have also requested to stage the event,” he said. — PTI

Pathan third in all-rounders list

Dubai, May 3
Irfan Pathan gained two spots to reach in the striking distance of the top 10 Test bowlers list while also joining the top three among all rounders in the latest ICC rankings.

Pathan is just one spot shy of breaking into the top 10, which has only one Indian in leg spinner Anil Kumble climbed one place up to be ninth.

The Baroda player is third among the all rounders behind South African Jacque Kallis and England’s Andrew Flintoff, displacing Daniel Vettori of New Zealand.

In the batting department, New Zealand’s Stephen Fleming, whose 262 was one of the major highlights of the drawn second Test against South Africa in Cape Town, has moved back into the top 20.

The Black Caps captain has jumped ten places to 14th in the list, his highest placing since 1997, the year he took charge of the team.

Fleming is not the only New Zealand batsman making progress up the batting list as James Franklin, who made his maiden Test hundred in Cape Town, is up 18 places to 101st position.

Like New Zealand, South Africa has just one player among the top 20 batsmen Jacques Kallis. He remains in second position behind Australia captain Ricky Ponting.

Ashwell Prince, who made his fourth Test hundred during the Newlands match, is up 18 places to 41st while Hashim Amla, whose 149 was his first three-figure score at the highest level, rises 64 places to 104th. — PTI

Srinath bats for Ganguly

Srinagar, May 3
Former fast bowler Javagal Srinath today said international career of Sourav Ganguly was not finished yet and the ex-skipper of India should take a break to come back fresh in the team.

“The career of Ganguly is far from over. I think he needs to take a break and come back fresh. In today’s set up, you cannot shut the door on anyone,” Srinath said.

The former pace spearhead, accompanied by MRF Pace foundation Chief T.A. Sekhar, was in Jammu and Kashmir for a two-day camp to hunt for fast bowling talent from the region.

Srinath also said leg-spinner Anil Kumble had a lot to contribute to the shorter version of the game and he should be a part of the team for next year’s World Cup.

“Kumble should be an integral part of the Indian team at the 2007 World Cup in West Indies based on his performance and he still has an important role to play,” Srinath told reporters on the sidelines of the camp.

Srinath was all praise for the young pace bowlers, saying they were all shaping up well but refuse to predict if they would be able to pose a strong challenge in the world cup next year.

“(Irfan) Pathan, Sreesanth, R P Singh and Munaf Patel have been performing well at the international level,” he said.

On the players’ burn out due to excessive cricket, Srinath said cricketers in the age group of 23 to 28 years can play any number of games they like.

“At that age, it does not affect the players too much,” Srinath said adding that “the rotation policy of the Indian team management is working for them at the moment and it would help in reducing the players burnout”.

He also said introducing the youngsters into international arena at early age would benefit them, especially the fast bowlers.

“The fast bowlers get a new sense of direction if they are exposed to international cricket at a young age. They learn a lot while playing and know which areas they need to improve upon,” he said.

The Bangalorean refused to be drawn into the controversy with regard to his appointment as the match referee by the International Cricket Council.

“I would not like to comment on that,” he said when asked his reaction on criticism of his appointment, reported by a section of Pakistan media.

Srinath and Sekhar, who played together for India in a couple of Test matches and few one-day internationals in 1983, were overwhelmed by the beauty of Kashmir and the picturesque scenes at the Sher-E-Kashmir cricket stadium. — PTI

India A thrash Ireland

Abu Dhabi, May 3
India A thrashed Ireland by eight wickets to round off their league engagements with an all-win record in the Eurasia series limited overs cricket tournament here yesterday.

Delhi opener Shikhar Dhawan struck an unbeaten 91 to guide the Indians past a modest target of 183 with more than 15 overs to spare in the Group C second league phase encounter at the Sheikh Zayed stadium.

India now await the topper of Group D in the final to be played on May 5.

Despite being asked to chase under the lights, for the first time in the tournament, India made light of the task, thanks to Dhawan’s uninhibited strokeplay.

“I played the ball on its merit. It was quite different to bat under the lights, but it is good that we did because it will be helpful in case we need to bat second in the final,” Dhawan, who received $ 2600 as man of the match award, said.

The left-hander, who has scored a hundred and two 50s in the previous three innings in the tournament, smashed 13 boundaries in his 96-ball innings.

He put on 55-runs for the opening wicket with Robin Uthappa whose promising innings was cut short at 25 when he clipped Whelan straight to mid-on.

Dhawan then found good support in captain Venugopala Rao who made 33 from 45 balls with five fours and a six while adding 65 runs for the second wicket.

The winning runs came fittingly from Dhawan, a rousing boundary off spinner Britton.

Earlier, pacemen Rudra Pratap Singh and Shib Shankar Paul took three wickets each as Ireland struggled to make the most of the advantage of the toss.

“We did not convert out starts. We played some loose shots and threw away our wickets. We should have put up a bigger total,” said Ireland captain William Porterfield.

R.P. Singh finished with figures of 3 for 22 while Paul claimed 3-28.

Leg spinner Piyush Chawla was the other successful bowler with two wickets while Reetinder Singh Sodhi and Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with a wicket each.

John Mooney was the top-scorer for Ireland with a 61-ball 41, which included five boundaries while Kevin O’Brien was the other notable performer with a defiant 36, which came off 66 balls.

The two Irish openers JAM Molins and C. Amstrong played cautiously as they sought to negotiate the Indian pace bowlers on a good batting track.

But Paul provided the breakthrough by getting rid of Molins with a gem of a delivery, which saw his stumps being dislodged.

From then on, the Indians managed to get wickets at regular intervals before the innings folded up in 43.3 overs. — PTI

PCB stakes claim to final 2011 World Cup

Karachi, May 3
The Pakistan Cricket Board today staked its claim to host the 2011 World Cup cricket final, saying the formula adopted during 1996 edition should be applied when the Asian subcontinent holds the extravaganza again.

PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan said the venues for the semifinals and final of 2011 WC were yet to be decided and the hosts would have to thrash out the issue before the International Cricket Council Executive Board meets in July.

“We’ll soon discuss this matter with the other co-host countries although in principle it’s decided the final will be staged in Pakistan and semifinals in India. The PCB would like the formula of 1996 edition to be applied again,” he was quoted as saying in The News today.

The ICC awarded the 2011 World Cup to the Asian Test playing nations — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh — last week.

In 1996, India hosted two quarterfinals and the semifinals while Pakistan organised two quarterfinals and the final at Lahore.

In 1987, when Pakistan and India jointly hosted the World Cup, India got the lion’s share organising one semifinal and the final with Pakistan was given just one semifinal.

Sri Lanka is set to host nine games and Bangladesh six with India organising 22 and Pakistan 16. — PTI

We almost lost the bid: Bindra

Abu Dhabi, May 3
A top Indian Cricket Board official has said the Asian bloc almost lost the bid to host the 2011 World Cup due to the non-cooperative attitude of the previous BCCI regime and it was the Pakistan Cricket Board which came to the rescue.

Senior BCCI functionary I S Bindra, who represented India in the ICC’s Executive Board meeting in Dubai on Sunday, claimed the previous regime controlled by Jagmohan Dalmiya had not passed on any information and files pertaining to ICC for the past 10 years, including the 100-page ICC Compliance Manual that all bidders had to compulsorily answer.

“We failed miserably because the old Board had not passed on any information and documents to Mr Sharad Pawar’s team and they were not even aware that a compliance report had to be submitted,” said Bindra.

“We almost lost by default. It was Pakistan that informed us a few days before the bid submission deadline of February 28 and you can’t ask for government guarantees in such a short time,” he said.

Bindra said the new BCCI office-bearers came to know about ICC Compliance Manual when they went to Lahore to watch the Pakistan-India One-day International on February 13.

“We would have lost by default. Unfortunately, all files about ICC were lying in Kolkata, and even BCCI president, secretary or treasurer had not seen those files for 10 years,” he was quoted as saying by the Gulf News today.

“Everything concerning ICC was handled directly from Kolkata, without any Board office bearer having a peep into documents. That’s why we asked for an extension from the ICC,” he said. — PTI

Asia Cup postponed till 2008

Lara lays down law to team-mates

St John’s, May 3
Brian Lara has warned his teammates that performance and not names will get them selected during his third term as West Indies captain.

Lara, who celebrates his 37th birthday yesterday, has been laying down the law to his teammates since last Wednesday, when he was confirmed in the position.

“We are not going to play names anymore,” Lara said, after West Indies won back-to-back limited-overs internationals by five wickets and 98 runs on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, at the Antigua Recreation Ground.

“We are going to play to a plan. We are going to have positions. We going to have requirements to those positions, and it doesn’t matter who it is — Tom Browne, Chris Gayle, Runako Morton, or Shivnarine Chanderpaul — it doesn’t matter.

“If these positions are being fulfilled in the way that we like, these players are going to have the opportunity to continue within the team.

“Right now, we are unsettled in terms of the order, but in our minds we have settled on what the exact positions they need to be, and we are working our way to find the right players in the right position.” Lara also revealed he does not intend to play in all of the limited-overs internationals against the Zimbabweans in keeping with his stated objective of forgoing the shorter games in an effort to prolong his international career.

“I’ve cut down on the number of ODIs prior to this, so it is a situation where the guys have to learn to play the game,” he said.

“They have to take the responsibility and that’s part of it. I’m going to have my responsibilities if it is batting at whatever position in the order.

“I still feel though, we are playing with 11 guys. You might have one player who is supposed to be the premier batsman in the team but one of the main things this team is lacking is in-house competition.” Lara wants to create an environment in which there is healthy competition between players to play.

“I want to see someone topple whoever we consider to be best batsman,” he said.

“I want to see people competing with him. In my early days in the 1990s, there was Desmond Haynes and Richie Richardson, but at the end of any series, I wanted to be counted as the top batsman in that series. That’s what has to be created here.

“To say Brian Lara is the premier batsman is something we have to get away from our squad or this guy is indispensable.

That’s no longer part of this team. This team is going to be played on positions and everybody is going to have an opportunity to fulfil those positions.” Lara also downplayed the decision of the West Indies not to go into the first two matches without an appointed vice-captain.

“I sense that you're going to see another captain on the field before the series is over because I don’t think I have intentions of playing all seven,” he said.

“By then you would know who the vice-captain is. If you just hold strain a bit, it should not be a great topic at this present time. It will solve itself.” — AFP

Pietersen pooh-poohs burn-out claims

London, May 3
Kevin Pietersen is a maverick who loves to swim against the tide rather than flow with it and the strapping England bat said burn-out maybe a problem for other cricketers but he is least bothered and hopes to continue for another decade at least.

“For some players it is a problem, but for me, I’m just a batter, I go out and score runs. I’m going to play for 10 years, and when I’m finished I don’t want to think oh, I wish I’d played a bit more in 2006.” “I don’t mind playing cricket. I love it. It’s my sport, it’s my hobby, it’s something I love and crave, so burn-out doesn’t bother me,” he was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

On the contrary, Pietersen adds, he would work overtime to evolve as a utility part-time bowler.

“I did a bit more than turn my arm over this winter and I think it’s something I’m definitely going to have to do more of, for the good make-up of the team,” said the South African-born cricketer.

Pietersen has been religiously sweating it out in the nets since his return from the tour of India and scored 98 off 73 balls in his first knock in the domestic season for Hampshire against Essex.

“I was hitting balls pretty well towards the end of the Indian trip, as well as I’ve hit them in my whole career, so I think it’s really beneficial for me to hit more balls than most right now just to keep myself in tune.” He also felt that with a number of frontline players battling injuries, it was for the youngsters to grab the opportunities with both hand and prove their mettle.

“All the injuries are a concern but it gives opportunities to other players. The guys who got their chances in India took them, Owais (Shah) did well, Alastair Cook, Liam Plunkett, they’re all good cricketers and they’ll do a fantastic job.” On personal front, Pietersen said, “I want to be successful in every game I play, and have a job to do for Hampshire on Sunday, and then for England next Thursday.” “My life has changed and it still does so daily, but one thing it hasn’t done is hamper my cricket. All the other stuff, yes, it happens, it’s part and parcel of the life I lead now, but it’s still all about cricket to me, and it always will be,” he added. — UNI

Malik hopes to be fit for England tour

Islamabad, May 3
Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik, who recently underwent an elbow surgery, is confident of being able to regain full fitness before the cricket tour of England.

“I suffered pain in my right elbow while batting or bowling and it was one of the reasons why I had problems extending it properly,” Malik said explaining the need to go for surgery to correct his bowling action.

“I am happy that this problem is done with now. I’m confident I’ll be fit by the time the team leaves for England in late June. It’s a tour I have been looking forward to for a long time,” he was quoted as saying by The News today.

The operation, which took place in Cape Town, removed floating bones from his right elbow and also repaired some tissues. He has been advised to rest for six to eight weeks before batting and bowling again.

Meanwhile, fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has started bowling again after a knee operation in Australia earlier this year. — PTI

India’s Thomas Cup journey ends

Tokyo, May 3
India bowed out of the Thomas Cup badminton championship today after losing 0-3 to European powerhouse Denmark at the quarterfinal stage.

India were always expected to struggle against the might of world No. 3 Peter Gade and No. 7 Kenneth Jonassen, along with the top doubles combination in the world Jons Erikson and Martin Hansen, and the Scandinavians proved their superiority wrapping up the tie without conceding a game.

India’s top shuttler Chetan Anand, who missed the tie against Germany due to injury, was back on court but did not pose any challenge to Gade in the opening rubber, going down in 28 minutes 21-14, 21-8.

National Champion Anup Sridhar went down to Jonassen 21-12, 21-11 in just 34 minutes in the second match.

The doubles combination of Rupesh Kymar and V. Diju gave a good account of themselves against Erikson and Hansen before losing 21-14, 21-19 in 34 minutes to hand over victory to Denmark.

Nevertheless, Indians would return home satisfied as they achieved what they had set out to do. Coach Vimal Kumar had set his eyes on a quarterfinal berth and it was mainly due to his meticulous planning that his team reached the last eight at the prestigious men’s team championship. — PTI

Jung finishes 21st

New Delhi, May 3
Commonwealth Games hero Samresh Jung had a miserable outing as he was given a point penalty and failed to make it to the 50m free pistol final at the ISSF shooting World Cup in Resende, Brazil, yesterday.

Jung, who was declared best athlete at the 18th Commonwealth Games earlier this year, shot 549 (89, 88, 92, 92, 92, 96) in the qualification to finish 21st.

The 35-year old CISF shooter was penalised two points in the elimination round after his complaint that he could not sight the targets properly was later found to be incorrect.

Other two Indians in the fray, Vivek Singh ended up 35th with a score of 542 and B. Biji was 41st with a score of 534.

The gold and silver medals went to Russia with Mikhail Nestruev winning 668.7 (573+95.7) points followed by Isakov Vladimir with a score of 667.9 (569+98.9). — PTI

Polish teenager upsets Myskina

Warsaw, May 3
Polish teenager Agnieszka Radwanska upset former French Open champion Anastasia Myskina 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at the J&S Cup in a stunning debut on the main WTA Tour.

A wild card entry, 312th-ranked Radwanska squandered a 4-1 lead in the final set, watched 12th-ranked Myskina level at 4-4, but then won the final two games for her first victory over anyone in the top 100. The only two other seeds in action, No 5 Francesca Schiavone and No 9 Daniela Hantuchova, both won.

Schiavone, who led Italy past Amelie Mauresmo’s France in a Fed Cup upset recently, pasted Finland’s Emma Laine 6-0, 6-1, while Hantuchova worked much harder to overcome Israel’s Anna Smashnova 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. Smashnova led by a set and 5-3. — AP

Two swimmers honoured
Tribune News Service

Ropar, May 3
Prabjot Kaur and Jashandeep, two budding swimmers who have brought laurels to the district, were honoured by the Deputy Commissioner, Ropar, Mr Alok Shekhar, at a function organised by the district swimming association at Nehru Stadium here yesterday.

Prabjot had represented the Punjab swimming team at the national women festival held at Sangrur and won a silver medal in the relay. Besides, she won five gold medals and set two records in the Punjab junior swimming championship held at Sangrur. She also won three gold medals in the Punjab state school games held at Ferozepore and five gold in the Punjab state senior swimming and waterpolo championship. @@Jashandeep represented the Punjab swimming team at the national school games held in Bangalore and won a bronze medal in breast stroke. He also won three gold in the Punjab junior swimming championship held at Sangrur, three gold medal in the Punjab state school games held in Ferozepore.@@Besides, the district swimming association has requested the Deputy Commissioner to make arrangements of separate bathrooms for girls.