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Saturday,
August 25, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Murali’s heroics spoil India’s day Zaheer Khan celebrates the dismissal of Sri Lankan batsman Mahela Jayawardena on the third day of their second Test match in Kandy, Sri Lanka, on Friday. Warne strikes as England reply to huge total
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Shane Warne hails Sachin Tendulkar as No. 1
Future ties doubtful, says PCB chief Abhinav, Charan shoot
gold Afro-Asian Games: Advani puts off meeting No stay on Arjuna Awards, says HC Mohun
Bagan, Mahindras in semifinals England skaters win Top players for Chandigarh polo Punjab Police take on Punjab Juniors
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Murali’s heroics spoil India’s day
Kandy, August 24 Muthiah Muralitharan troubled the Indians with both the bat and the ball and but for his pyrotechnics the visitors would have been in a lot better position. The wily off-spinner, coming at number nine when Sri Lanka were reelingat 140 for seven, blasted five fours and three sixes for a career-best 67, off just 65 balls, that was mainly responsible for setting a healthy target for the Indians. Muralitharan remained the thorn in India’s flesh for more than an hour as he added 64 runs for the last wicket with Ruchira Perera who contributed just six. Muralitharan then got the vital wicket of Shiv Sunder Das, bowled off a straight delivery while playing for the spin, as India desperately tried to hold on to their wickets towards the end of the day. Rahul Dravid (11) and Sadagopan Ramesh (15) survived through the rest of the day but not without some anxious moments. India still need 209 runs with nine wickets and two full days of play left in this wide open Test.
Earlier, Venkatesh Prasad and Zaheer Khan bowled their hearts out sharing nine of the 10 wickets between them to swing the game back in India’s favour. They very nearly bowled out the hosts within 180 before running into Muralitharan. The Indians bowled with a rare aggression and maintained a very tight line and length. Zaheer and Prasad were very accurate and their relentless attack on and just outside the off-stump paid them rich dividends. The efforts started bearing fruit right from the first over of the day when Zaheer Khan had Kumar Sangakkara caught by wicketkeeper Sameer Dighe off the third ball without any addition to overnight total of 52 for one. That was only the beginning of the things to come as the Indians grew in confidence with every wicket and tightened the pressure. With these two bowlers going strong, Harbhajan Singh was not pressed into action in the first two sessions and captain Saurav Ganguly and Harvinder Singh bowled short stints only to give Prasad and Zaheer some rest. The Sri Lankan batsmen were never allowed to settle down and almost all of them were kept on tenterhooks throughout their innings.
Marvan Atapattu and first innings centurion Mahela Jayawardene did occupy the crease for some time but found the going extremely tough. They picked only the loose deliveries, that weren’t too many, to score and didn’t go for anything flashy. Prasad, who had been slightly wayward in the first innings and in the first Test, was rewarded for his good line and length today when he got the vital wicket of Atapattu for 45. He induced an outside edge off Atapattu’s bat which was caught brilliantly by Dighe, diving full length to his right to pick up the ball inches from the ground. While debutant umpire Tyronne Vijayawardene went across to consult senior colleague Steve Bucknor, Atapattu (45), in a rare sporting gesture and walked back to the pavilion acknowledging that the catch was fair. With two of their most consistent batsmen out, Zaheer who was rested after bowling five overs, was pressed back into service immediately to put further pressure on the Sri Lankans. The left-hander did not let his captain down and struck twice in his next four overs to have the home team struggling at 116 for five. Jayawardene, who had survived a couple of close calls earlier including a simple run-out chance, was surprised by a faster delivery from Zaheer and he went for the shot a bit too late. The resulting edge was gleefully accepted by Hemang Badani in the second slip. Jayawardene made 25 with the fourth wicket falling at 108. Russel Arnold, who got out cheaply in the first innings, was the next man out, trapped leg before wicket by a swinging delivery from Zaheer. Soon after lunch, when Sri Lanka were 124 for five, Prasad struck a double blow, dismissing Suresh Perera (15) and Hashan Tillekaratne (16) in consecutive overs. Two more strikes, off the first and last ball of his next over, had the hosts reeling at 159 for nine and the Indians had already started celebrating. Then came Muralitharan and his smashing knock that almost undid all the good work done by the Indians and scored off every Indian bowler. He spoiled Prasad’s figures a bit by hitting a four and a six in one over. The Indians were totally clueless against this unexpected onslaught as Muralitharan took his team past the 200-run mark. He hit a six off Harbhajan too and while going for a repeat of that shot, he was caught by Ramesh at long-off bringing to end the misery of the visitors.
PTI SCOREBOARD Sri lanka (1st innings): 274 India (1st innings):
232 Sri Lanka (2nd innings):
Atapattu c Dighe b Prasad 45 Jayasuriya b Zaheer 6 Sangakkara c Dighe b Zaheer 13 Jayawardena c Badani
b Zaheer 25 Tillekeratne lbw b Prasad 16 Arnold lbw b Zaheer 4 Perera c Badani b Prasad 15 Vaas lbw b Prasad 4 Muralitharan c Ramesh
b Harbhajan 67 Fernando b Prasad 4 Perera not out 6 Extras:
(b-4, lb-7, nb-5) 16 Total:
(all out, 66.3 overs) 221 Fall of wickets:
1-20, 2-52, 3-84, 4-108, 5-116, 6-137, 7-140, 8-153, 9-157. Bowling:
Zaheer Khan 23-4-76-4, Harvinder Singh 8-1-25-0, Prasad 21-7-72-5, Ganguly 10-4-21-0, Harbhajan Singh 4.3-2-16-1. India (2nd innings):
Das b Muralitharan 19 Ramesh batting 15 Dravid batting 11 Extras:
(b-4, nb-6) 10. Total:
(for 1 wkt, 23 overs) 55. Fall of wicket:
1-42. Bowling:
Vaas 8-6-6-0, Fernando 4-1-18-0, R. Perera 5-1-7-0, Muralitharan 5-0-18-1, Jayasuriya 1-0-2-0.
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Warne strikes as England reply to huge total London, August 24 Shane Warne bowled Mike Atherton for 13 shortly before the close to strike an important blow for the tourists, who are seeking to seal a 4-1 series triumph. Marcus Trescothick will resume at the Oval tomorrow on 55, with Mark Butcher on 10. Trescothick’s third 50 of the series included 11 boundaries, but Butcher, full confidence after his match-winning innings in the last Test at Headingley, was fortunate to survive a huge shout for lbw off Warne. Earlier, the Waugh brothers compiled masterful centuries as Australia amassed an imposing total, Mark eventually falling for 120 and Steve, struggling with his calf injury, was unbeaten on 157 when he declared. The Australian captain, barely able to run through most of his innings due to a recurrence of a calf injury, received a standing ovation when he reached three figures, another when he limped off at tea and a third as he finished on 157 not out when he declared midway through the final session. Waugh’s century — his brother scored 120 as the two put on 197 for the third wicket — was more poignant still, with the two 36-year-olds in all probability saying farewell to Test cricket on English soil. Their contribution will surely mean Australia do not have to bat again, as England bid to stave off an innings defeat and a 1-4series defeat. Steve Waugh had got stuck on 98 for 30 minutes before reaching 100 with two scrambled singles. Lying with his face in the Oval dust after diving to make his ground, he raised his bat, followed by his battered body, to acknowledge the crowd. Waugh had only decided to play on the first morning of the game after being stretchered off just over three weeks ago after tearing his left calf in two places in the third Test at Trent Bridge. The Australian skipper, however, refused to let the injury get in the way of his 27th Test hundred, which included 90 in boundaries, one a six, and spanned four hours and 256 balls. Mark made it to three figures first, his 20th Test 100 and sixth against England, before he was bowled by Darren Gough for 120, leaning back and slogging across the line. The brothers put on 197 for the third wicket in 200 minutes. Steve Waugh’s century, including 15 fours and a six, was all the more remarkable since he hobbled through the latter stages of his knock in increasing pain. SCOREBOARD Australia (1st innings): (overnight: 324-2) Hayden c Trescothick b Tufnell 68 Langer ret hurt 102 Ponting c Atherton b Ormond 62 M. Waugh b Gough 120 S. Waugh not out 157 Gilchrist c Ramprakash b Afzaal 25 Martyn not out 64 Extras:
(b-10, lb-13, w-1, nb-19) 43 Total: (4 wkts decl., 152 overs, 624 mins) 641 Fall of wickets:
1-158, 2-292, 3-489, 4-534. Bowling: Gough 29-4-113-1, Caddick 36-9-146-0, Ormond 34-4-115-1, Tufnell 39-2-174-1, Butcher 1-0-2-0, Ramprakash 4-0-19-0, Afzaal 9-0-49-1. England (Ist innings) Atherton b Warne 13 Trescothick not out 55 Butcher not out 10 Extras: (nb-2) 2 Total:
(for 1 wicket, 18 overs) 80 Fall of wicket: 1-58 Bowling: McGrath 6-3-13-0, Gillespie 4-0-35-0, (nb2), Warne 5-0-19-1, Lee 2-0-9-0.
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I thought I’d been hit by Lewis: Justin Langer London, August 24 Langer, who vowed to return to the crease against England on Friday after retiring hurt for 102, said: “It was like Lennox Lewis whacked me. It felt like a hard thud. It was more shock than pain.’’ Langer, surprisingly called up after a wretched tour with the bat, was given a standing ovation as he was helped off after setting up Australia’s total of 324 for two on the opening day. He was taken for a hospital scan.
Reuters |
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Shane Warne hails Sachin Tendulkar as No. 1 Sydney, August 24 Tormented once, as Shane Warne says, by master-blaster Sachin Tendulkar in nightmares, the legendary leg-spinner has finally found words to express his admiration for the batsman. A candid and insightful autobiography by Warne, which hit the stands here, describes how he was “Tendul-corized” and hails the Indian as “number one” in the game. Amongst descriptions of the many memorable matches played against almost all cricketing nations across the globe, Warne relates the legendary on-field battles with Tendulkar as also Brian Lara. “Much has been made of my personal contest with Tendulkar,” he writes. “Some people have said that my duel with Tendulkar in India in 1997-98 was the most compelling Test cricket they have ever seen, but there is no doubt he enjoyed the better of the exchanges. “He has played me better than anybody. Most Indian batsmen pick the length very quickly, even when it is flighted above the eyeline, but Tendulkar moved into position even earlier than the likes of Mohammad Azharuddin and Rahul Dravid.” The eulogy continues. “His footwork is immaculate. He would either go right forward or all the way back and he has the confidence to go for his strokes. I suppose I would be confident too if I batted as well as Tendulkar.” The candid admissions seem to flow right from his heart as he says: “Although my statistics in that series don’t make happy reading, I am still prepared to say it was a pleasure to bowl to him”. Warne even goes on to write: “Obviously, I never bowled to the Don, but if he was consistently superior to Tendulkar then I am glad he was an Australian.” On the loss in the Coca Cola Cup final in Sharjah, Warne says: “We were once again Tendul-corized!” He talks of one series where while he was recuperating in Australia, Sachin was practising intensively for the series ahead by deliberately scuffing up an area outside leg stump in the nets to face the Aussie wrist spinners. “I suppose I should take it as a compliment that he felt he needed to do that before he took Australia and me on. I have nothing but admiration for the guy and as the series progressed he showed why he is the number one.” The other Indian batsman who impressed Warne during the series was the wily opener Navjot Singh Siddhu. “One batsman I never felt received the credit he deserved during the series was Navjot Siddhu,” he writes. Amongst the spinners during 1990s, who gave Warne most pleasure, were Anil Kumble and Mushtaq Ahmed. Warne writes; “If he was not a hero in India already then Kumble set himself up for life when he took all 10 Pakistan wickets in an innings in Delhi in February 1999”. Kumble was always like an old buddy for Warne. “We would chat about our methods. It is no different from a couple of used-car salesmen bumping into each other. They will pass on a few tricks about deceiving customers while we talk about deceiving batsmen. “Kumble’s strengths are his longevity and consistency.... He is a thorough gentleman off the field but extremely competitive on the field.” Warne talks at length about the match-fixing controversy while pleading his innocence. “I have never attempted to fix a game or any part of a game in my life. I never would and never will. Nor have I knowingly received money from a bookmaker. “As far as the man I knew only as John is concerned, I was stupid and naive to accept money. It didn’t dawn on me that he might be involved with trying to fix cricket matches. I thought he was a wealthy man who liked to bet, who had won money on Australia in the past and wanted to express his thanks. I took it at face value and thought he was telling the truth.” “In hindsight I think it would have been better for all of us if the Board had made it public straight away.” The news that Mark Waugh and Shane Warne had taken money from a bookie broke after months of silence from the ACB in December 1998. “In my heart I knew I had done nothing wrong. I would love John to come forward to confirm my version of the story. In future, if I can still help the cricket authorities to get to the bottom of anything relating to corruption then I will be happy to assist,” he writes. He further writes: “Like Hansie Cronje, Mohammad Azharuddin was another guy I never held under any suspicion, but who is said to have been involved. I thought of him as a very polite, sensitive, quiet person, who dressed extremely smartly away from the game. “He was also a particularly high class batsman, capable of taking batting to another level on his day.” Even while discussing Sharjah and charges of it being the hotbed of corruption, Warne cannot help but allude to Tendulkar, albeit in a humurous vein. “I have played in Sharjah, where investigations have centred, and not to my knowledge, set eyes upon a bookmaker. “I am afraid, like Sachin’s straight drives, it all went over my head!” In Warne’s opinion, match fixing warrants a life ban and it is the duty of every cricketer to pass on any information, however small and insignificant it might seem to the authorities. But his own gambling habits are no hidden secrets. “I played blackjack and roulette and bet on Aussie Rules, but never on cricket when I was involved. Warne, who made his Test debut against India in 1991-92, says: “Apart from the pitches in India, the harsh conditions, heat and humidity explain why so few sides come out on top. “But I must say that food did not present quite the problem for me that people might have imagined from some of the newspaper headlines and pictures of tinned spaghetti and baked beans being shipped out with the words: ‘To Shane Warne in India’ plastered all over the crates.” Warne is indignant about the Australian team being labelled as the worst sledgers in the world. “Fast bowlers generally sledge out of frustration. For some reason Australia have acquired the reputation of being the worst sledgers in the world, but I think New Zealand should hold that mantle. “Compared to the Australian side I joined in the early 1990s, the team of today is relatively quiet, even with McGrath in our ranks,” he writes. And it was none other than Allan Border who taught Warne the usefulness of sledging. “If things were not happening for me, he (Border) suggested it was probably worth having a word with the batsman — not for the sake of having to go, but to switch myself on for the contest.” While Shane Warne may not have been included in Bradman’s Dream Team, he has been voted one of the five greatest cricketers of the 20th century along with Sir Donald Bradman, Gary Sobers, Vivian Richards and Jack Hobbs. In the book, Warne lists his own Dream Team and Tendulkar, who is the only contemporary cricketer to find a place in Bradman’s XI, figures in both Rest of the World Test and one-day teams.
PTI |
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Future ties doubtful, says PCB chief Karachi, August 24 The tournament — due to be co-hosted by the South Asian rivals — also includes the West Indies and Zimbabwe. “As things stand I would say the quadrangular tournament is now in doubt,” PCB Director Brigadier Munawwar Rana told Reuters late yesterday. The Pakistan and Indian boards agreed at an International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting in London two months ago to co-host the competition in February and March next year. The co-hosting proposal was put forward as the West Indies would be touring Pakistan and Zimbabwe would be in India at the same time. “We planned the quadrangular in the belief that the Indian Government had no objection to its team playing Pakistan in multilateral tournaments,” said Brigadier Rana. “But with the Indians withdrawing from the Asian Test Championship (ATC), I would say the quadrangular is now doubtful.” India were due to start an Asian Test match in Lahore on September 12 in what would have been their first Test appearance on Pakistani soil since 1989. But on Tuesday the Indian government refused permission for the team to play. Pakistan and India jointly hosted the World Cup in 1987 and 1996 with great success. Brigadier Rana said Pakistan would now plan the West Indies tour itinerary independently and consider options to replace the quadrangular event. He added that Zimbabwe would be considered, but first the team’s schedule in India had to be checked. India’s Sports Minister Uma Bharti said cricket relations could not be normalised until the political climate between India and Pakistan had improved. Brigadier Rana said the PCB had yet to devise a clear strategy regarding its relationship with India. “Right now we are assessing the situation because the Indian withdrawal has come as a disappointment to everyone,” he said. Pakistan has said it did not like to mix politics with sport and was willing to play India anytime and anywhere. The Indian withdrawal marked the third time in nine months the team had been forced to boycott an international event involving Pakistan. Reuters |
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Abhinav, Charan shoot
gold Chandigarh, August 24 The 18-year-old shooting wizard of Chandigarh, who has already won a medal in the World Cup at Munich in June this year with an exceptionally high score of 597 out of 700.5, setting a new junior world record, will be conferred the Arjuna Award by the President of India on August 29 at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Abhinav is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on the morning of August 29. Immediately after winning his event at Bisley, Abhinav left for Munich where he is scheduled to take part in the World Cup tomorrow. |
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Afro-Asian Games: Advani puts off meeting New Delhi, August 24 The meeting will now be held sometime next weeek on return of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President, Mr Suresh Kalmadi, from Pune, where he is attending the prestigious ‘festival’. Mr Advani has ostensibly deferred the meeting so that he may able to impress upon two main functionaries, Sports Minister Uma Bharti and Kalmadi that their unified stand is the key to the success of the games. The security of participants, officials and dignitaries will be the theme. The expenditure on upgrading and renovating stadia is likely to be higher than budgeted as import of equipment from foreign countries has become costly. The biggest beneficiary from this exercise will be the R.K. Khanna Stadium, it is managed and controlled by the All-India Tennis Association (AITA) and Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA). But it will get the face-lift at the government expenses. Though officially not yet announced, but Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi should be able to take part in the games. |
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No stay on Arjuna Awards, says HC New Delhi, August 24 “Have even sports officials been given Arjuna Awards?” judge Mukul Mudgal asked at the outset while hearing a petition challenging the manner in which the awardees are selected. Mudgal directed government counsel H. Hazarika to “specify the rules that permit treatment of sports officials at par with sportspersons” for the grant of the award. The Arjuna Awards honour excellence in sports. The awards are scheduled to be given away by President K.R. Narayanan at Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 29. An earlier plea seeking a restraint on the ceremony was withdrawn by the petitioner, Asian discus champion Anil Kumar. Kumar said he was doing so as the ceremony was a “national event.” Kumar, in his petition, contended that “the awards are being manipulated by sports officials with mala fide intentions, resulting in the awards being doled out to totally undeserving persons.” The awards have raised a controversy this year with legendary athlete Milkha Singh refusing the honour, saying it had come too late. Milkha Singh had narrowly missed the bronze in the 400 metres at the Rome Olympics in 1960. Another awardee, hockey coach Balkishen Singh, said he would be accepting the honour under protest. Balkishen Singh had coached the team that last won a hockey gold for India at the Moscow Olympics in 1980. Kumar said in his petition that one of the awardees this year was Rachna Govil, whom he described as a “mere sports official who is not even a gold medal winner.” Govil is a deputy director with the Sports Authority of India (SAI). Milkha Singh and Balkishen Singh were given the award for “lifetime achievement,” the same category in which Govil was named. Kumar said he had not been considered for the Arjuna Award although he had won 25 medals, the bulk of them gold and silver medals, at Asian track and field meets, the Asian Games and other international level competitions in the last 12 years. Mudgal asked the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, which selects the awardees, to file its counter affidavit within four weeks and ordered that the case be heard on October 18. At Kumar’s request, Mudgal also granted him the help of a counsel to argue his case. Kumar said that even though the Arjuna Awards are being given since 1961, “even at the start of the awards, the most eminent sportspersons like Milkha Singh have been left out.” He alleged that the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports “has failed miserably in its duty to check the achievements and credentials of the nominees all these years and especially this year.” Urging the court to ensure that the award is not “degraded” Kumar has sought guidelines “to ensure that only deserving candidates are given the award.”
IANS |
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Mohun
Bagan, Mahindras in semifinals Chennai, August 24 After a day’s rest tomorrow, Sporting Club de will take on Dempo in an all-Goa affair in the first semifinals on Sunday. Mohun Bagan will lock horns with Mahindra United in the other match on Monday. While Bagan, helped by a brace by Nigerian Abdul Lateef Seriki, came from behind to outplay Salgaocar, Goa, 3-1, Mahindra edged out a fighting Zee Churchill, Goa, 1-0 through a penalty kick conversion by medio Khalid Jamil in the 16th minute of the second half. Earlier, Salgaocar, despite being at the receiving end, forged ahead in the 25th minute through Climax Lawrence, only to see Bagan finding the equaliser six minutes later through their Brazilian Barreto Ramires. Seriki made it 2-1 before half time and rounded of the tally five minutes before the hooter to complete a comfortable 3-1 victory. Mohun Bagan, the only surviving team from Kolkata, should have won by a better margin but they missed several chances. Salgaocar scored of the only chance they had in the 25th minute of the first half through medio climax Lawrence before the reigning champions came with their guns blazing to record a facile victory. In an action-packed first half, it was the Kolkata giants who called the shots in the initial stages of the match. They were all over the Goan territory and had umpteen chances to score, before Salgaocar made most of the lonely chance that came their way. UNI |
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England skaters win Faridabad, August 24 This was the fourth match between the two teams and the visitors have won all of them. Two matches of series remain to be played. The English team is on a tour of India on the invitation of the All India Roller Skating Association. The team which finished fourth in the recent World Roller Hockey Championship at Japan, beat the host-overwhelming. Five of six goals were netted by Niel, a forward. The Indian side could not score any goal. The winners led 3-0 at half time. Earlier the team members were given a rousing reception at the school. The office-bearers of the All India Roller Skating Association and Haryana Roller Skating Association were present. |
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Top players for Chandigarh polo Chandigarh, August 24 Col Bhawani Singh and Lt-Col Virk are the members of the World Cup team of last year. Colonel Virk, has played polo in 16 countries during the past one decade. Other attraction of the meet would be Sameer Suhag, the highest handicap polo player in the country today. According to Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, MP, and President, Punjab Polo Association, the tournament is being organised to commemorate Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s great love for horses. Some of the top polo teams of the country would participate in the four-day meet to be inaugurated by the Army chief on October 11. The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, would preside over the concluding function. Maj-Gen U.S. Sidhu, Vice-President and Chief Executive of Punjab Polo Association, said that 61 Cavalry, one of the best known polo teams of the country, has confirmed its participation in the tournament. Other teams to have confirmed their participation are President’s Body Guards, RVC and ASC — all from the defence forces.
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Punjab Police take on Punjab Juniors Ludhiana, August 24 In all, eight matches are slated for the opening day. Though the formal opening is scheduled to be held at 5.30 p.m. the matches will start at 7.00 a.m. The inaugural match of the tournament will be played between Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, and Punjab Juniors in the men’s section.Other matches to be played on the first day are PSEB vs Rest of Punjab, BSF vs PSEB in the men’s section and in the women’s section Jalandhar vs Gurdaspur, Amritsar vs Rest of Punjab and Ludhiana vs Rest of Punjab. |
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Sainik schools meet Sujanpurtira, August 24 In football, Sainik School, Kapurthala, beat Sainik School, Ghorkhal, in a penalty shoot-out 5-3. The local Sainik School crushed Sainik School, Nagrota, 8-0. In hockey, Sainik School, Kunjpura defeated Sainik School, Kapurthala, 4-0 and local Sainik School beat Sainik School, Ghorkhal, 10-0. In volleyball, Kapurthala school beat Ghorkhal school 3-2.
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Aman Saini wins Bilaspur, August 24 |
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Kandy, August 24
