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Team India’s young guns set out for bigger exploits
I will be judicious in choosing IPL matches: Umesh
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Ojha keen to perform overseas
Sania-Bethanie in Miami quarterfinals, Bopanna bows out
Prior leads England to series-saving draw
Clarke facing fitness race for Ashes
Australia can become No. 1 in two years: Arthur
Karnataka beat Punjab by 2 wkts
Hard work, patience helped me reclaim No. 1 ranking: Tiger
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Team India’s young guns set out for bigger exploits
Bangalore, March 26 “Kohli needs to make sure he gets his captaincy right. Dhoni is not going to be around for a long time. He needs to be ready for India and captaining RCB is a stepping stone for Kohli to take over from Dhoni,” Jenings said after a training session. “Kohli has the ability to lead the Indian team and also is very fiery which is a good thing for RCB.” Asked whether he supoported Micky Arthur dropping four Australia players for not completing a feedback review, Jennings said every coach has different ways of doing things. “You need to understand what players did and what relationship they had in the buildup to that (controversy). If you ask players 10 times to do something and they don't do it, you have a reaction. When you ask for the first time, you have a different reaction,” he said. Jennings said the team is lot stronger than last year, but T20 is a strange game, anything can happen in 120 balls. “If guys click, we make huge scores, but if they get out first ball, we lose,” he said. The coach also said after having performed wonderfully against all top Test squads, Cheteshwar Pujara's challenge is to play the same level in T20. “We all know he is a good player,” he said. Jennings said Pujara would be out of action for two to three weeks. — PTI
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I will be judicious in choosing IPL matches: Umesh
New Delhi, March 26
“I have been bowling in the nets for a month now and I have fully recovered from my lower-back injury. I will be available from the first match for Delhi Daredevils. But considering the number of matches and the amount of travel involved, I need to be careful about the workload and will speak to the coaches regarding that," the Vidarbha paceman said. Umesh, whose last competitive game was a Test match against England at Motera, will make a comeback for Vidarbha tomorrow in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 game against Odisha. "This will be my first competitive game in four months. Irrespective of the amount of effort you put in at the nets, there is no substitute to match-practice. Tomorrow, I will get an idea about how I am shaping up. I am planning to play all the group league games which are on successive days which will provide me with an idea as to how my body is holding up," said Umesh, who has so far taken 32 wickets from nine Tests. Will this injury mean compromising with pace, he retorted, "I have not learnt the art of reducing my pace! There is absolutely no question on cutting down on my pace. Pace is something that comes naturally. "I didn't want to rush my comeback. When I first started bowling, it was four-step run-up. Gradually, I increased it to eight steps and from there to 12 steps. Now I am bowling with my full run-up which is 16 steps." Umesh thanked NCA trainer Ashish Kaushik, who had worked extensively with the pacer during his rehabilitation along with the other NCA coaches monitoring his progress. “I know my body better now. Fast bowling takes a lot of effort and niggles are a part and parcel of a cricketer's life. But one needs to be aware about injury management and I have come out much stronger after this forced break.” During the first two months, when he was forced to stay at home, he would get “irritated”. “When in Nagpur, I would hang out with friends but mostly remained irritated as there used to be no sporting activity. Then I would shuttle between Bangalore and Nagpur for my rehab.” The 25-year-old is ecstatic that India have completed a 4-0 clean sweep against Australia, but regrets the fact that he couldn't be part of the series. “It's obvious that you feel good about the result but the real satisfaction is when you are out there in middle contributing to team's cause. It's really not the same when you sit back and watch your teammates on television,” he concluded. — PTI
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Mumbai, March 26 “I want to play and succeed in different parts of the world and in different conditions,” Ojha told the BCCI website. "When you're playing on tracks like this [Delhi], as a spinner things are very simple for you. You don't have to try too many things and just focus on doing the simple things right. It will be a very big challenge for me to go abroad and pick wickets in some tough conditions." Though Ojha has been a regular in India's Test team at home in the past couple of years, he was left out of the side for the first two Tests against Australia. He was part of the squad for India's last overseas tour, to Australia in 2011-12, but didn't get to play any of the Tests. “My priority right now is to play more and more matches and not miss out on any cricket,” Ojha said. "If I keep bowling, I'll keep my rhythm going and really, that's all I can do to prepare for the coming overseas season.” Ojha made his debut in 2009, initially forming a spin partnership with Harbhajan Singh and, later on, with R Ashwin. He said his bowling had evolved over the past four years. “I have begun to vary my pace; when I started playing, I didn't have much idea about how to vary my pace, use the crease and play around with the seam,” he said. “I have started to do all that now, which has added the required variety to my bowling.” — TNS IPL: Bangalore matches on May 4,6 likely to be shifted
The Indian Premier League matches scheduled to be held in the city on May 4 and 6, could either be shifted or rescheduled owing to Assembly elections in Karnataka. "The matches on May 4 and 6 will be either shifted or rescheduled owing to Assembly elections in Karnataka. We will arrive at a decision in a couple of days," a KSCA official said. The Karnataka Assembly election is scheduled on May 5 and counting of votes will take place on May 8. The KSCA held a meeting after Bangalore Police Commissioner Jotiprakash Mirji expressed his inability to provide security to the IPL matches due to elections, the official said. "It will not be possible for us to provide security for the matches as our officers would be deployed for elections," Mirji said. Kings XI Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad are scheduled to play their away matches against Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 4 and 6, respectively. — PTI |
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Sania-Bethanie in Miami quarterfinals, Bopanna bows out
Miami, March 26 Sania and her American partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands overcame a fighting pair of Jarmila Gajdosova and Sabine Lisicki 6-1 3-6 10-7 in the second round. They will now fight it out with Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci for a place in the semifinals. In the men's doubles second round, unseeded Bopanna and Ram were knocked out by formidable second-seeded pair of Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez 6-4 7-6(5). Somdev Devvarman was floored by world number one Novak Djokovic in the men's singles while Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi had exited from the doubles after suffering second-round defeats with their respective partners. Murray downs Dimitrov to enter pre-quarters Reigning US Open champion and second seed Andy Murray blasted nine aces en route to a 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 victory over Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in the third round of the Miami Masters. Murray, who won this event four years ago, needed one hour and 54 minutes to oust the 29th seeded Dimitrov. Last year's runner-up to Novak Djokovic would have faced a tougher task had not the 21-year-old lost his composure when serving for the first set at 5-3. Dimitrov double faulted three times to allow Murray to break back and the doughty Scot duly got the better in the tie-break. It is the second time in as many tournaments that Dimitrov has cracked when serving for a set against a top-ranked player, serving up four double faults when he led world number one Djokovic 5-3 in the third round at Indian Wells. Murray, who committed 22 unforced errors to Dimitrov's 38, will face Italian Andrea Seppi in the fourth round, the 16th seed having beaten experienced Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci 7-5, 4-6, 6-2. Meanwhile, eighth-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet rolled over 28th-seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 6-4 and 10th-seeded Spaniard Nicolas Almagro beat Belgian David Goffin 6-3, 6-4. Gasquet faces Almagro in the fourth round. Also, sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, of France, cruised past Finland's Jarkko Nieminen 6-3, 6-3. — Agencies
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Prior leads England to series-saving draw
Auckland, March 26
Prior (110 not out) took up the responsibility of seeing the tourists home after Ian Bell had defied New Zealand for almost six hours, as England finished on 315 for nine, after they had given up chasing the 481 needed for victory on the fourth day. With England looking comfortable in the final hour, Williamson grabbed two wickets in three balls to bring Monty Panesar to the crease but the left-arm spinner and Prior saw out the final 19 deliveries to ensure the series was drawn 0-0. “Clearly quite gutted, we were so close, the boys tried everything,” Williamson, who finished with figures of four for 44, said. "It went down to the last ball and just gutted that we didn't come away with the win.” New Zealand had been seeking just their ninth test win in 97 matches against England, and their first series victory against them since Stephen Fleming's team achieved a 2-1 series win in England in 1999. Neil Wagner had captured the crucial wicket of Bell just before tea to push New Zealand to the brink of victory. Bell had curbed his natural attacking game to play the anchor role, plodding his way to 75 from 271 balls, but surrendered three balls before the break when he prodded at a Wagner delivery and it flew to Tim Southee at third slip. Prior battled on to his seventh test century and was ably supported by Stuart Broad (two not out) who had a lbw-decision overturned on review and provided obstinate defence taking 62 balls, and 102 minutes, to get off the mark. “I'm not really one to celebrate draws but to get away with that was a phenomenal effort,” Prior said. “You just dig in as best as you can. What a phenomenal effort (from Broad), what was he? Nought after facing 50 balls or something? “He's been working so hard on his batting with Andy Flower and an innings like that proves all that hard work was worth it. “Monty was good, all our guys have been working hard in the nets for just that kind of moment.” The match had been crackling with tension all day, particularly when Jonny Bairstow fell after lunch as New Zealand's bowlers, knowing the Bell-Prior partnership was the one to break, charged in, seeking that one delivery that would tip the game in their favour. Southee hit Prior on the pads twice in one over. One appeal was turned down, the next was successful. — Reuters Scoreboard New Zealand 1st innings 443 Extras: 5 Bowling
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Clarke facing fitness race for Ashes
Sydney, March 26 Clarke missed the fourth and final test in India, where Australia suffered their first four-test whitewash in 43 years, to return home after the nagging back injury flared up in addition to a hamstring problem. “Michael is having intensive rehabilitation for both his back and hamstring but is still 7-10 weeks away from returning to training and playing,” CA chief medical officer Justin Paoloni said in a statement on Tuesday. "We are confident that it will not affect his Ashes preparation but will know more over the coming weeks.” Clarke will miss the April 3-May 26 Indian Premier League and looks doubtful for the June 6-23 Champions Trophy in England. Australia will stay back for the Ashes series, starting on July 10 with Nottingham's Trent Bridge hosting the first of five tests. Paoloni said Clarke's back injury, if allowed to aggravate, could turn serious. “Michael Clarke had scans that confirmed his current lower back injury is an exacerbation of previous issues he has had with his spine,” Paoloni added. “As always, we need to manage this carefully as there are potentially serious consequences with further aggravation. He still has pain with basic activities and is not back to full function as yet. "He also has a hamstring injury that has been a concern for most of the (Australian) summer and will complicate his return.” — Reuters
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Australia can become No. 1 in two years: Arthur
Perth, March 26 Australia's 0-4 drubbing in India was their worst result in the Indian subcontinent and the worst ever since losing 1-5 to England in the 1978-79 Ashes. “I've said it publicly, it was the toughest tour I've ever had in my career but that's what happens in India. India is a tough place to go and play, it's a tough place to win. We set ourselves very high standards with the Australian team. Myself and Michael (Clarke) set really high standards with the players,” Arthur was quoted as saying by Herald Sun Tuesday. “I think we moved forward, moved in the right direction and hopefully this will be the foundation of something really good for the Australian cricket side. We've said it numerous times now; we could have carried on and been third in the world comfortably but we don't accept that, we want be No.1 in the world. We've put some stuff in place that we believe can get this team there in the next 24 months.” Arthur also denied about the speculated rift between skipper Clarke and vice-captain Shane Watson. “Team harmony is fantastic. The players work extremely hard. We've got a really good group of young players who want nothing more than to make Australia the best cricket team in the world. It's a funny perception around Michael and Shane, they're different personalities, different characters but they get on really well. It's sometimes a media beat-up around Watto and Pup, they work really well together and always have,” he said. — Agencies
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Karnataka beat Punjab by 2 wkts
Indore, March 26 In reply, Karnataka reached home (133/8) in 19.4 overs. Sidharth Kaul, Rajwinder Singh and Rahul Sharma bagged two wickets each. — TNS
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Hard work, patience helped me reclaim No. 1 ranking: Tiger
Orlando, Florida, March 26
With his eighth Bay Hill course triumph, 37-year-old Woods replaced Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy atop the rankings and set the seal on an extraordinary comeback after a spectacular fall from personal and professional grace. “I play well here," said Woods, who earned $1.08 million in prize money after a closing round of two-under 70. "That is about as simple as it gets. It is a by-product of hard work and patience." It took an extra day, but Woods out-dueled fellow American Rickie Fowler down the stretch, winning the $6.2 million event by two strokes. Woods has won 14 majors in his career and had previously spent a record 623 weeks on top of the world. But he has not led the rankings for nearly three years, after injuries and an infamous scandal saw him stumble. Woods fell to his lowest rank on Nov 11, 2011 when he dropped to 58th in the world. His woes began in 2009 when a tabloid aired claims he had had an affair with a nightclub manageress. — Reuters
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Leading a top IPL franchise like Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League will be a “stepping stone” for the talented Virat Kohli to get ready for a bigger role with the Indian team, feels coach Ray Jennings.
“Kohli needs to make sure he gets his captaincy right. Dhoni is not going to be around for a long time. He needs to be ready for India and captaining RCB is a stepping stone for Kohli to take over from Dhoni,” Jenings said after a training session.
Pragyan Ojha, the India left-arm spinner, has played 22 Tests and is the third quickest Indian to reach 100 wickets, but is yet to play outside the subcontinent. Ojha said he wants to change that and is keen to prove himself in conditions outside home as well.
“I want to play and succeed in different parts of the world and in different conditions,” Ojha told the BCCI website.
Sania Mirza kept the Indian hopes alive by progressing to the women's doubles quarter-finals even as country's challenge ended in the men's doubles with the defeat of Rohan Bopanna and his partner Rajeev Ram in the second round of
ATP-WTA Sony Open in Miami.
