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‘South Africa tampered ball against India in 1997’
ECB puts International XI
on standby
‘Commando training absolute garbage’
Former Test batsman Vijay Mehra dead
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Vijay Mehra: a dogged batsman
Eves lose ODI series
Obituary
Gangjee stays in touch with leaders
YFC Rurka Kalan win
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‘South Africa tampered ball against India in 1997’
Melbourne, August 25 Woolmer, the current Pakistan coach who has been in the news following the ball tampering row in the fourth Test against England, was the South African coach when the tampering incident is alleged to have taken place during a limited-overs match against India in 1997. The latest disclosure about ball tampering by former Australia Test captain and Match Referee Barry Jarman could shake the concept of fair play in the gentlemen’s game. Jarman has brought out a severely tampered ball which he claimed was used by the South African team during that match. “The ball is only 16 overs old, yet one side has been tampered with and you can see where they have run their thumbnails down the seam which opens up,” Jarman, who had kept it a secret before producing the ball in his possession till date, was quoted as saying by the ‘Courier Mail’ today. “The open seam (which caught the sweat) meant one side was heavier than the other,” he added. During the match, Jarman claimed that he noticed the ball was being scratched by a couple of fielders, who later lifted their shirts and rubbed sweat into one side of the ball for making it a bit out of shape resulting in a different kind of swing. Jarman said in no time he told the umpires to replace the ball which led to an altercation with coach Woolmer. “They all went berserk, including Bob Woolmer, who raced into my office and said ‘what’s going on?’,” Jarman said. “I said ‘your guys are stuffing around with the ball, mate’. I told him who it was and he went out with his tail between his legs. “I said to him ‘if you really want to make something of it I can give it to the press and we’ll see what happens then, but I will just give you a warning to cut it out’. “The two players later came up to my hotel room and apologised. Jarman said he was happy with his action as the players stopped tampering the ball. “I was happy to handle it the way I did because they stopped it and that was what I was trying to do. I felt the more low-key I could keep it, the better it would be for the game. Jarman, who refused to name the South African players involved in ball tampering, said the fact the ball went to two particular players sowed the seeds of doubt in his mind. “I picked up the binoculars and started watching closer. Even when the bowler fielded the ball, he threw it to players specifically designated to mess around with the ball. “I saw Allan Donald (who Jarman insisted was not one of the players tampering with the ball) all of a sudden start swinging the baIl everywhere on the television. “I thought ‘hello, what’s going on here?’ I said to the umpire ‘grab the ball because I think they are messing around with it’. “Once he looked at it he said ‘yes boss, they have, the seam is lifted’. So I told him to run a box of balls out and we would change it immediately. “I kept the ball by mistake because the game finished and it was just sitting there so I took it back to the hotel,” Jarman said. On the present controversy, Jarman admired umpire Darrell Hair for his stance on the issue involving Pakistan in the Oval Test. “But I really admire Darrell Hair for what he’s done in England. He is a guy who tells the truth and is suffering for it. He is one of the best, an umpire who can lie straight in bed.” — PTI
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ECB puts International XI
on standby
London, August 25 The ECB said it was forced to make the contingency plan in the view of “uncertainty” over the remainder of Pakistan’s visit as fallout of the controversial fourth Test at the Oval last week. “We are pleased that discussions strongly indicate the England v Pakistan Twenty20 international and the subsequent NatWest Series will proceed as planned. However, given the current uncertainty concerning the scheduling of the Code of Conduct hearing and imminence of the Twenty20 it is prudent to examine all options to provide spectators with guaranteed play on Monday,” ECB Chief Executive David Collier said. “This has been achieved and while the ECB and PCB hope that this contingency plan will not be required, the International XI remains on standby. “The ECB can also confirm that it has been in discussion with the ICC and other full member boards to provide a further contingency plan for the NatWest Series. These discussions are well advanced, but it is hoped that the Pakistan team will be able to fulfil its commitments.” Pakistani players have threatened to pull out of the Twenty20 game and the five-match one-day international series that followed if their captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was punished for ball tampering and bringing the game into disrepute following the team’s forfeiture of the Oval Test. Inzamam was set to phase an ICC hearing on the charges brought against him today, but it was postponed, as ICC Chief Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle, appointed to adjudicate on the matter, was not available. With the date of hearing yet to finalised, it was unclear whether Pakistan would continue with the tour. PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan, however, had insisted that his team play and win the battle on the field.
— PTI
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‘Commando training absolute garbage’
Sydney, August 25 “Can you imagine (Don) Bradman or (Keith) Miller, or (Ray) Lindwall, or any of those blokes going on one of those,” Harvey said, referring to some of his more notable former Australian team-mates. “They’d just laugh in your face and say ‘see you later’. “I think it’s a lot of absolute garbage. I suppose you’ve got to blame the coach (John Buchanan) for that. Maybe that’s all he can do, I don’t know.” Television footage has shown the Australian players, dressed in combat fatigues, exercising at the camp, which is designed to prepare them for this season’s Ashes Test series against England. “All it can do is get someone hurt,” Harvey said. “They call it a bonding exercise, but these guys have been playing together for 10 years. If they’re not bonded by now, forget about it.” Former Test all-rounder Alan Davidson approved of the boot camp, saying it might help to toughen some of the “city boys” in the Australian team. — AP
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Former Test batsman Vijay Mehra dead
New Delhi, August 25 Mehra’s death was sudden and he collapsed while reading newspaper at 8.15 am, a relative of his said. Former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi, under whom Mehra played for North Zone, expressed shock at the latter’s death. “He was a very dear friend and I will miss him. As a player he was limited in talent but excelled within those limitations,” Bedi said. Chandigarh: Mr Satish Kakkar, chairman of Chandigarh Cricket Association, condoled the death of Vijay Mehra and described him as a fine human being and a great player.
— TNS
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When Vijay Laxman Mehra made his debut against New Zealand at Bombay in 1955-56, he became the youngest to wear national colours. He was 17 years and 265 days old. He had then upstaged Syed Mushtaq Ali’s record. Mehra was a dogged batsman, who was seldom guilty of molesting an outgoing delivery. His stance resembled to that of Vijay Hazare. He had will and ability to negotiate pace. He did not shy away from rising deliveries. His range of strokes was limited but his defence was sound. He rose to play eight Tests (14 innings) scoring 329 runs (average 25.30). As Mehra’s initial performances were far from encouraging, he had to wait for another seven years before getting a recall against England in the fourth Test at Calcutta in 1961-62. He scored zero and eight and was sidelined from the next two Tests. His luck took a decisive turn. Skipper Nari Contractor sustained a near-fatal injury and went out of the team. Mehra was included in the team. He made the most of this opportunity. He scored 62 in the fourth Test at Port-of-Spain and 39 in the final Test. Born in Amritsar on March 12, 1938, Mehra was 13 plus when he played for Punjab and North Zone in national schools tournament. He also played for Panjab University. In Ranji Trophy, Mehra made his debut for East Punjab against Delhi in 1953-54. He scored 40. In next match against Holkar, he scored 96. These two knocks saw him get a place for North Zone against Silver Jubilee Overseas Commonwealth team the same season. He scored 3,222 runs (average 38.36). He scored 10 centuries. He played in National Championship for East Punjab, Railways and Delhi. Mehra served as a national selector for many years. After retiring from State Bank he started a cricket academy. In 2005 and 2006, he was doing commentary for All India Radio. — K. R. Wadhwaney
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Eves lose ODI series
London, August 25 After being put in to bat by England, the Indians were held to 192 for eight in their 50 overs. The hosts achieved the target with 4.2 overs and three wickets to spare. Defending the total, Jhulan Goswami (3-20) was spitting fire and gave England early jitters. However, player-of-the-match Sarah Taylor hit a chanceless 61. Earlier, Indian skipper Mithali Raj (47) and Anjum Chopra (53) were the only notable contributions before a quickfire 40 off 46 balls by Hemlata Kala made the total respectable. Brief scores: India: (Chopra 53, Mithali 47, Hemlata 40, Jenny 1-16); England: (Taylor 61, Jenny 46, Goswami 3-20).
— UNI
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Athletes win six gold, Anju sets game record Colombo, August 25 The other Indian ace Pinki Pramanik, who came up with top podium finishes at the Asian Grand Prix meets in Bangalore and Pune, also romped home to the gold in women’s 400m race with a time of 52.54 seconds. The other Indian athletes who claimed the yellow metal were Preeja Sridharan In 10,000m event and Anuradha Biswal in 100m hurdles for women and promising boy Saurabh Vij in shot put. The men's 4x100m relay squad rounded off the good day for the Indians with a golden finish. However, Anju's victory brought her little joy as she fell way below her personal best of 6.83m. A clearance of 6.42m in the third attempt proved good enough for her to clinch the gold, but she later admitted that she was not happy with her showing. Incidentally, Anju’s gold-winning effort was a new games record, improving upon the one set by India’s G Premila who jumped 6.37m at Kathmandu in 1999. Harveen Srao shines
Promising Harveen Srao led India’s medal hunt as the Asian powerhouse lapped up five out of the six gold medals on offer in the shooting events at the 10th South Asian Games here today. Srao won the individual top honours in women’s 10 m air pistol event with a new games record total of 480.5 (382+98.5) points, erasing compatriot Shweta Chowdhary’s mark of 477.5 made in 2004. The top two scores, in combination with the 369 shot by Shilpi Singh, gave the country also the team gold in the event, again with a record 1128 points. Earlier in the day, veteran shooter and former Asian Games gold medallist Ashok Pandit bagged the gold in 25m centre fire pistol men’s event with a grand total of 570. In women’s 50m rifle 3
position, India’s Meena picked the gold with an aggregate of 663.5. Navdeep Kaur Dhillon, also of India, claimed the silver with 658.3. The gold and silver winning Indian pair then teamed up with Raj Kumari to fetch the country the team gold in the same category. Meena shot 570, while Navdeep and Raj Kumari scored 566 each. Dola wins gold
Seasoned campaigner Dola Banerjee quelled compatriot Reena Kumari’s challenge, while in-form Jayanta Talukdar upstaged Tarundeep Rai in the finals as India bagged both the men and women individual recurve gold at the Colombo Gymkhana Club here today. Dola, who won the first European Gold medal at the European Grand Prix at Antalaya, Turkey last year, was bang on target and her experience stood her in good stead as she edged out team-mate and fellow Olympian Reena Kumari 108-99 in the final. Jayanta, on his part, has been in good nick and the archer defeated Olympian Tarundeep to the post with just one-point margin separating the two. Tarundeep, after the 110-111 defeat, had to be content with the silver medal. Hockey final: Pak down India
India choked under pressure to go down 3-2 to Pakistan and miss out on the gold in the men’s hockey competition of the South Asian Games here today. Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh 2-0 to finish third.
— PTI
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Obituary Olympian Radhey Sham, who died last week, was one of the finest basketball players India has produced in the recent decades. He was 54. An all-rounder, Radhey Sham was a gentleman sportsman who played for both Services and India uninterruptedly from 1975 to 1985. In recognition of his contribution to the sport, he was given Arjuna award. Born in Madhopura village in Rajasthan, Radhey Sham was one player who could play at any position — pivot or wing — or even as a playmaker effectively. “He was a gentleman,” says his contemporary and long time room mate Ajmer Singh, another great pivot of Indian basketball. Ajmer Singh is now working as Sports Officer at Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala. “I am shocked at his untimely death. In him I have lost a great friend,” remarked Ajmer Singh. I had several chances to see Radhey Sham in action, both in the National Basketball Championship and Pre-Asian basketball Championships held at Ludhiana in late 70s and early 80s, besides watching him play in the New Delhi Asiad. Radhey Sham played for India not only in Moscow Olympics in 1980 but also in the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi. Radhey Sham also represented the country in the Asian Basketball Championship in Kuala Lumpur in 1977, Nagoya in 1979, Kolkata in 1981, Hong Kong in 1983 and Kuala Lumpur in 1985. In the Kolkata Asian Basketball Championship, he had the honour of leading India. The President of the Basketball Federation of India, Mr Rajdeep Singh Gill, and the Secretary of the Punjab Basketball Association, Mr Teja Singh Dhaliwal, expressed their deep condolences with members of the bereaved family promising all possible help. — Prabhjot Singh
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Gangjee stays in touch with leaders
Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei), August 25 Filipino Juvic Pangsan (68) and Chen Tze-chung (69) are tied third at eight-under 134, while Gangjee shares the fifth spot with three others — Ross Bain (68), Henry Perks (67) and David Gleeson (68). Four other Indians — Arjun Singh and Harmeet Kahlon (tied 29th), Jyoti Randhawa (tied 43rd) and SSP Chowrasia (tied 56th) — also made the cut, which came at one-under. The Indians missing the cut were Digvijay Singh (70-72) by one shot, Amandeep Johl (70-73) by two, Gurbaaz Mann (70-76), Amritinder Singh (75-74), Kanwar Sekhon (78-77) and Uttam Singh Mundy, who retired.
— PTI
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YFC Rurka Kalan win
Chandigarh, August 25 In another match, Capt G. P. S. Chahal SC defeated GS Parmar FC, Narur Panchhat, 3-0 at Jalandhar. Meanwhile, the match between Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, and PSEB in the 20th Punjab State Super Football League which was earlier scheduled for August 17, will now be played tomorrow at Kapurthala, according to Arjuna awardee Inder Singh, secretary, PFA.
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