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Test of character for India It will be a toss-up between Virat and Rohit for the No. 4 slot vacated by Sachin Tendulkar. — File Photo
Pick Sunny’s brain to play pace, Crowe tells India batsmen
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Australia rise from the ashes, take the urn ranji trophy
Army XI, PSB start with wins
Big win for SRC in Liberals hockey tourney
Only Sardar good enough: Balbir Sr
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Test of character for India
Johannesburg, December 17
The Proteas skipper said that he would like his team to play hard and win the Test with a credible performance just like a No. 1 team in the world. “We will play the game hard. Ultimately we want to win this Test match and that is our goal. It won't be different from the last time we played Test cricket (versus Pakistan). But there is a big respect-factor for the game and the opposition, and as the number one team in the world, I want to see us have some good credibility and lead the game well,” he said. Smith didn't make too many intimidating statements like ODI captain AB de Villiers but he didn't forget to mention that playing the first innings at the Wanderers is a tough proposition. “The pitch looks like it has a bit of a moisture and we know that the first innings at the Wanderers can be pretty tough,” said Smith, non-committal about what to do after winning the toss, just like India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. For Dhoni the concern on the eve of the first Test here at the Wanderers was his bowlers and not his misfiring batsmen. Dhoni feels the most crucial thing for the World No. 2 side will be to take 20 wickets against the World No. 1 team. Bowling a bigger concern than batting for Dhoni
“One of the most crucial things will be to bowl well,” said Dhoni here at the Wanderers. Dhoni tried to take the pressure off his batsmen, but had to admit that his team has to do a bit of both — score runs and take 20 wickets. “To win Test matches, of course, you need to score runs but you also need to take 20 wickets. It's a bit of both, whatever we start first it will fire the confidence of the other department,” said Dhoni. — PTI |
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Pick Sunny’s brain to play pace, Crowe tells India batsmen
New delhi, December 17 Crowe recalled how as a young cricketer playing in the Yorkshire league back in 1982, he sought Gavaskar's advice on how to combat fast bowling when the Indians were playing a tour game. Crowe was working as a groundsman there. “When I returned a year later in 1982 and took up the groundsman-and-overseas-player role at Bradford's Park Avenue in North Yorkshire, I didn't quite realise how lucky I would be. When India played Yorkshire that summer, they did so on my patch and dubiously prepared pitch. This was where I met Sunil Gavaskar, one of the all-time greats. I had to get inside this man's head, even if for a minute,” Crowe wrote in his column for ESPN Cricinfo. “Being the groundsman gave me the chance. Over the four-day fixture I picked my moment and swooped like a vulture. “Sir, when playing the Windies, what is the single most important thing you must do to combat their pace and bounce?” Crowe recalled asking the legendary Indian batsman. He then writes about Gavaskar's advice, “Son, it's your eyes. Before I go out to bat, I find a wall and position into my stance with my right ear hard up against the wall. By doing this I feel my head and eyes level, my balance perfect, my feet light and ready to move.” “The wall is ensuring that I stay still. In the middle I pretend the wall is still there. From there my eyes are in the best position to see the ball and to stay watching it until the shot is played,” Gavaskar had told Crowe back then. “Minutes later, back in the dusty shed, I found my wall. I could stand in position forever, my balance perfect. The mind and body got used to the balance, the more I did it. It was a lustrous piece of advice I never ever forgot. When my form dropped I went back to Gavaskar's elementary instruction,” Crowe wrote. Crowe feels that even Sachin Tendulkar must have soaked in all the advice from Gavaskar when he started off at the international level. “Whenever I watched Sachin Tendulkar I thought he must have spoken to Sunny about the same thing, for Sachin always displayed a still, balanced stance and head position Now it's up to others to carry the torch. In the cauldron of South Africa it's up to India’s new breed to carry the baton that Sunny and Sachin did so incredibly, for so long.” — PTI
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Australia rise from the ashes, take the urn
Perth, December 17
Just three months after England wrapped up a third successive Ashes series triumph by a similarly dominant 3-0 margin back home, Australia had wrested back the urn they last held in August 2009 with two matches to spare. Ben Stokes had made them sweat through the first session on the fifth and final day of the third test at the WACA by completing his maiden test hundred as the tourists chased their improbable victory target of 504. But once the lefthander was dismissed for 120 in the third over after lunch, Australia's bowlers ran quickly through the England tail to claim a 150-run victory and an unassailable 3-0 series lead. Fittingly, it was Mitchell Johnson, whose fiery spells of pace bowling had turned the first two tests, who delivered the coup de grace by dismissing James Anderson to end England's second innings for 353. “It's a fantastic feeling,” said captain Michael Clarke, the only member of the Australia team to have previously enjoyed Ashes success. “What an amazing performance not just throughout this test match but over the course of three test matches. I think we put a lot of work in over a long period of time and we got the Ashes back. “I don't think you'll find one bloke in that dressing room who won't say that this is the pinnacle,” he added. “Playing Test cricket against England and winning the Ashes. That's always been the pinnacle.” That Stokes's hundred was the first by an Englishman in the series and helped his country to their highest innings total in the three tests said much about why the tourists have been outplayed so comprehensively. “The simple fact of the matter is we haven't had enough players in form with either bat or ball,” said England skipper Alastair Cook. “You can't put it any more honest than that, and people in the dressing room know that. It hurts like hell when you come into a contest and you end up being second best.” Brief scores: Australia 385 (Smith 111, Warner 60, Haddin 55) and 369 for 6 dec (Warner 112, Watson, Rogers 54); England 251 (Cook 72) and 353 (Stokes 120, Bell 60, Johnson 4-78) — Reuters
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Punjab thrashed
Hubli, December 17 The visitors folded at 361 in their second innings, which left Karnataka just 31-run target. The hosts chased down the target in just 4.5 overs with openers Mayank Agarwal and Lokesh Rahul remaining unbeaten on eight and 25, respectively. Earlier, Khera and Gurkeerat raised Punjab's hopes of unlikely draw as the two shared a 186-run stand for sixth wicket but once both were dismissed after striking 29 boundaries among them, Punjab began to drown. Brief scores: Punjab 174 & 361 (Gurkeerat 157, Khera 84; Abhimanyu Mithun 3/59, HS Sharath 3/75); Karnataka 505/9 dec & 33/0. HP concede three points Haryana get one point
Gujarat scored 578 for eight, five more than Haryana’s first innings 573 for 6 declared, to earn three points.
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Army XI, PSB start with wins
Ludhiana, DECEMBER 17 The match got off to a brisk start with both the teams raiding each other’s halfs time and again, but to no avail. After a barren first half, it was Air Force XI that surged ahead in the 49th minute through Jatinder Singh. Three minutes later, Army XI restored parity through Muthna and with just four minutes to go, they scored another, which turned out to be the winner. In the second match, Punjab and Sind Bank (PSB) humbled Punjab Police XI 4-0. The policemen failed to match their rival’s speed and stamina and eventually surrendered meekly. Harpreet Singh scored two penalty corner goals for PSB.
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Big win for SRC in Liberals hockey tourney
PATIALA, DECEMBER 17 In a couple of one-sided matches, Sikh Regimental Centre (SRC), Ramgarh Cantonment, thrashed PAU, Ludhiana, 4-1 and Sports Academy, Jarkhad routed Hawks Ropar 4-0, while J &K Police, Jammu, edged past Rock Rovers, Chandigarh, 3-2. In a fog-delayed match, BEG faced stiff resistance from the young Dhudike lads. Relying on crisp and precise passing, BEG dominated the proceedings after initial hiccups. Prabodh Khokha struck twice in the 24th and 29th minutes to put BEG 2-0 ahead. Despite maintaining all round superiority in the second half, BEG conceded a penalty corner in the 59th minute, which was converted by Rachpal Singh.
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Only Sardar good enough: Balbir Sr
New Delhi, December 17 “Sardar Singh is the only player of that standard. Had others been as good as Sardar, they would have been at the top,” said Balbir, praising the halfback who was included in the FIH World XI recently. The octogenarian, who will turn 90 later this month, holds the world record for most number of goals by an individual in an Olympic final, an astonishing five that he scored in the 1952 summit clash against the Netherlands. Revered as the greatest centre forward to have played the game after the iconic Dhyan Chand, Balbir said the current set of players don't have the skills to match the ones who made India an eight-time Olympic gold-medallist. “If they had skills, they would have won. They can be at the top again. Practice is the key, not just schemes, money. They need to develop individual skills, and practice hard.” The former skipper also senses a lack of desire to excel in the current crop. “They are money-minded these days… that is normal because money is required. Money is very important,” he said. Balbir said changes in playing conditions too haven't helped India's cause. “We don't have synthetic turfs everywhere, only a few venues have it. Players from other hockey playing countries train on the turf right from the start.” Talking about the nuances of the game, Balbir said the most jarring aspect of the current players' game was their tendency to keep dribbling in the midfield, instead of looking for a winning pass. “We dribble too much there, we waste time,” he said. — PTI
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South African skipper Graeme Smith today sought to play mindgames ahead of the Test series against India, saying the fast and bouncy tracks here will be a real “test of character” for the young Indian batting line-up.
“They are a hugely talented bunch but very different from the Indian line-up we are accustomed to play against,” said Smith, referring to the transitional period that this Indian team is going through.
“They are a hugely talented bunch but very different from the Indian line-up we are accustomed to play against,” said Smith, referring to the transitional period that this Indian team is going through. “Touring different parts of the world is a test of character and it is going to be so for them in the next two Test matches,” the seasoned South African skipper said on the eve of the first Test.
Holyfield finds Mary Kom’s achievements great