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Monday,
April 22, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Bowlers bring Windies back in reckoning ‘We were
looking for Lara’s wicket’
Murali out
for a month, to miss first Test British
Press targets Eriksson |
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India, Japan
record victories HP to
establish sports academy AI, PSB in
last 8 Amritsar
beat Moga in basketball
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Bowlers bring Windies back in reckoning
Port of Spain, April 21 India lost three wickets, including those of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, within a space of two runs to be forced on the backfoot after they had seized the initiative in the morning by bowling out West Indies for 245. The first innings lead ensured that India were 171 runs ahead at tea but with only two recognised batsmen remaining, both at the crease, it is going to be an uphill task for the visitors to set a competitive total. Skipper Sourav Ganguly was batting on 17 and VVS Laxman on six. India’s opening pair once again failed to lay a good foundation with Shiv Sunder out for nought. Sanjay Bangar and Dravid added 48 for the second wicket before disaster struck the Indians. Bangar, who played a lot more confidently than in the first innings, was caught by Carl Hooper in the slips for 16 off Adam Sanford. Two balls later, Dravid, who looked in ominous touch, tried to glide Cameron Cuffy down to fine leg but snicked to wicket-keeper Junior Murray to be out for 36. Dravid hit six fours during his 62-ball knock. First innings centurion Tendulkar gave a big blow to the tourists’ hopes when he was trapped leg before wicket to Sanford after just two runs had been added. Earlier, West Indies first innings folded with the addition of 48 runs to their overnight total of 197 for six with skipper Carl Hooper scoring exactly 50 runs. Left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra broke through early in the day when he trapped overnight batsman Mervyn Dillon (9) after West Indies had added just four runs this morning. But the last three tailenders defied the Indian attack long enough for skipper Carl Hooper to keep pushing the score into the 230s. Hooper, who was 30 not out yesterday, took his individual score to 50 before being the penultimate batsman to be dismissed. Realising that he was running out of partners, Hooper tried to go for the big shots after completing his half-century but faltered at his very first attempt when he holed out to his Indian counterpart Sourav Ganguly at mid-off. Hooper batted for more than three hours for his 50 which included four hits to the fence. Hooper’s fifty came courtsey the 41-minute stay at the wicket of Marlon Black and 50-minute knock of Adam Sanford. Black was run out off a direct throw from Harbhajan Singh when he hesitated in responding to Hooper’s call for a single. Black made six. Sanford hit two boundaries in his 12-run innings before becoming the last man out. Attempting a big hit against Harbhajan Singh, he holed out to long-on where Sachin Tendulkar took a good diving catch. The Indian opening pair once again failed to lay a good foundation, Das being dismissed cheaply for the second time in the match. Das, who was out for 10 in the first innings, failed to score this time and was trapped leg before wicket by Mervyn Dillon when the total was on six. But Bangar was a lot more confident than he was in the first innings. He middled the ball well and was much more positive in his foot movements. He steered Marlon Black for a boundary to the third man. Dravid continued with his good run in the series and started with a flourish, hitting Black for two consecutive boundaries in the last over before lunch. India’s bowling spearhead Javagal Srinath said his team was really looking for star batsman Brian Lara’s wicket to trigger a West Indian collapse on the second day of the second Test here. “We were really looking for Lara’s wicket. Once we got him, we knew we could get deep into the West Indian batting,” Srinath said yesterday. “The key wicket was Lara. As long as he was at the crease, the batting looked very easy. But Zaheer Khan bowled a fantastic spell and got his wicket,” Srinath said. Lara made 52 before Zaheer sent him back, caught by debutant wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra. “Indeed, Zaheer got better and better with each spell,” said 32-year-old Srinath, who took three for 56. He first dismissed opener Chris Gayle (13) and after the exit of Lara, dealt the West Indies a double blow sending back Shivnaraine Chanderpaul (1), who hit a century in the first Test and wicketkeeper Junior Murray (0) in the same over. Srinath said it was decided at the tea interval to have him test Lara at the start of the final session. “I was asked to start from the other end. Being a senior member, I probably need to take more responsibility,” Srinath said. “Though it is a responsibility which is shared by all the bowlers, because of my experience I should lead the act.” Srinath said India now have to fold up the West Indies first innings, 197 for six at close, quickly. “We need to get the last four wickets. We have failed on a few occasions in the past. But here we need to get them out for 230.
PTI
SCOREBOARD India (Ist innings): 339 West Indies (Ist innings): Gayle c Das b Srinath 13 Williams c Das b Harbhajan 43 Sarwan c Dravid b Nehra 35 Lara c Ratra b Zaheer 52 Hooper c Ganguly b Zaheer 50 Chanderpaul lbw b Srinath 1 Murray lbw b Srinath 0 Dillon lbw b Nehra 9 Black run out 6 Sanford c Tendulkar b
Harbhajan 12 Cuffy not out 1 Extras (lb-8, b-5, nb-7, w-3) 23 Total (all out, 77.5 overs) 245 FoW: 1-50, 2-80, 3-136, 4-179, 5-180, 6-180, 7-201, 8-217, 9-232. Bowling: Srinath 22-4-71-3, Nehra 20-4-52-2, Zaheer Khan 14-2-47-2, Harbhajan Singh 19.5-3-51-2, Bangar 2-0-11-0. India (2nd innings) Das lbw b Dillon 0 Bangar c Hooper b Sanford 16 Dravid c Murray b Cuffy 36 Tendulkar lbw b Sanford 0 Ganguly batting 17 Laxman batting 6 Extras (b-1, nb-1) 2 Total (for 4 wkts, 31 overs) 77 Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-54, 3-54, 4-56. Bowling: Dillon 8-3-15-1, Cuffy 9-1-31-1, Black 6-1-18-0, Sanford 7-4-11-2, Hooper 1-0-1-0. |
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‘We were looking for Lara’s wicket’ Port of Spain, April 21 “We were really looking for Lara’s wicket. Once we got him, we knew we could get deep into the West Indian batting,” Srinath said yesterday. “The key wicket was Lara. As long as he was at the crease, the batting looked very easy. But Zaheer Khan bowled a fantastic spell and got his wicket,” Srinath said. Lara made 52 before Zaheer sent him back, caught by debutant wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra. “Indeed, Zaheer got better and better with each spell,” said 32-year-old Srinath, who took three for 56. He first dismissed opener Chris Gayle (13) and after the exit of Lara, dealt the West Indies a double blow sending back Shivnaraine Chanderpaul (1), who hit a century in the first Test and wicketkeeper Junior Murray (0) in the same over. Srinath said it was decided at the tea interval to have him test Lara at the start of the final session. “I was asked to start from the other end. Being a senior member, I probably need to take more responsibility,” Srinath said. “Though it is a responsibility which is shared by all the bowlers, because of my experience I should lead the act.” Srinath said India now have to fold up the West Indies first innings, 197 for six at close, quickly. “We need to get the last four wickets. We have failed on a few occasions in the past. But here we need to get them out for 230. “It has happened all too often when the opposition was allowed to escape by us in the past. We need to secure a big lead and then build on it by batting well in the second knock,” Srinath said.
PTI |
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Rich Aussie accolades for Sachin Tendulkar Sydney, April 21 A number of Sachin’s secret admirers in the Australian cricket fraternity are coming out of the woodwork to hail the “Little Master” for equalling the record of 29 centuries held by the country’s cricket icon, the late Donald Bradman. Damien Fleming, fiery sparring partner of Australian strike bowler Glenn McGrath, is the latest to admit his unqualified admiration for the Indian genius, who scored his 29th ton against the West Indies in Port of Spain. “I probably rate Tendulkar the highest. He’s as good on the front foot as he is on the back foot. His consistency and also his scoring rate are his strengths, and he really looks to dominate the bowling,” says Fleming. Melbourne-based Fleming has also rated Caribbean batting star Brian Lara as one of the best. “They have been two of the best batsmen in the world for much of the past decade. Bowling to them brings out the best in you. From an individual sense it’s one of the highlights of my career,” said Fleming, after Sachin equalled Bradman’s record Friday. “Tendulkar in Mumbai, Lara in Trinidad; running in first ball — the noise is just deafening. I’d liken it to the grand final how the crowd just roars with excitement. It is an amazing feeling. There are only a certain few in the world that get that feeling.” But he noticed some technical flaws in West Indian’s batting. “Lara is not as good a starter and sometimes slashes early,” says Fleming. While Fleming may have some difficulty to choose the number one from among the two top aforementioned batsmen in the world, his former team-mate and fast bowler Paul Reiffel has no such dilemma. Sachin is indisputably the best in the world as, in Reiffel’s opinion, he is harder to bowl to and he hasn’t got any weaknesses. “You just have to try to get him a bit defensive and when he’s frustrated he can get out. Lara, being a left-hander, I always had the chance to go across him but over the years McGrath has had some success around the wicket.” Australian spinner Colin ‘Funky’ Miller has also rated Sachin a notch higher than Lara. Miller, who toured India with the Aussie squad last year, said Lara was more of a threat to spin bowlers, but Sachin was harder to get out once he found his rhythm. Another Melbournian and highest wicket-taking international spinner Shane Warne declared his awe of Sachin years ago. Warne, regarded one of the best bowlers in the world, was truly demolished out of the bowling attack by Sachin and Navjot Sidhu during 1997-98 India-Australian Test series in India. Sachin repeated this demolition feat once again when Australia toured South Asia last year. Australian media has paid rich tributes to the “Little Master”. What has earned epithets like “undisputed legend”, “Bradmanesque”, “best in the world”, for Sachin from Australian cricketers and public is not only because of his devastating batting style but also that they admire his attitude. Sachin “Humble” Tendulkar’s statement after equalising Bradman’s record has been reported widely, and patronisingly, in Australian media. “I am just happy that, in the history books, my name will be in the same column as Sir Don’s,” Sachin reportedly said. “I am happy to have equalled Sir Donald Bradman’s tally but as the world knows it, nobody can equal him.” Australian media has also been quick to point out that while Don notched 29 centuries in his shortened career of 52 Tests, it has taken Sachin 93 Tests to come at par with him.
IANS |
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Akhtar scripts big Pakistan victory
Karachi, April 21 In sweltering heat and watched by an unruly crowd of nearly 32,000 supporters at Karachi’s National Stadium, Pakistan posted a formidable 275 with Youhana stroking 125 runs. New Zealand’s innings fell apart once Akhtar claimed three wickets off his first nine deliveries, leading the visitors to fold at 122 in just 30 overs. Speedster Akhtar completed his 100 wickets in one-day internationals when stand-in captain Craig McMillan (8) miscued a pull short and offered a dolly catch to Saqlain Mushtaq. Akhtar removed Jacob Oram and debutante wicketkeeper batsman Robbie Hart for noughts and later clean bowled Andre Adams (2), Brooke Walker (8) and Ian Butler in an impressive nine-over spell of fast bowling that earned him the man-of- the-match award. Captain Waqar Younis started the slide after Nathan Astle and Matt Horne had posted 53 runs in 10 overs. Astle, who lofted Younis for a six over extra cover, was bowled for 25 off 27 deliveries while Horne was run out in a mix-up with McMillan after scoring 22 before Akhtar ripped through the New Zealand batting lineup. SCOREBOARD Pakistan: Nazir c Butler b Tuffey 7 Afridi c McMillan b Tuffey 1 Youhana c Walker b Oram 125 Inzamam c sub b Butler 18 Y. Khan c Vincent b Butler 69 Razzak not out 30 Akram c Hart b Oram 8 Latif not out 0 Extras: (lb-7 nb-7 w-3) 17 Total: (6 wickets, 50 overs) 275 Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-15, 3-49, 4-210, 5-247, 6-270 Bowling:
Tuffey 6-1-24-2, Adams 10-1-41-0, Butler 7-0-49-2, Oram 9-3-51-2, Walker 5-0-28-0, Harris 6-0-34-0, McMillan 5-0-28-0, Astle 2-0-13-0. New Zealand: Horne run out 22 Astle lbw b Younis 25 Vincent lbw b Akram 5 McMillan c Saqlain b Shoaib 8 Harris c Younis b Saqlain 17 Oram b Akhtar 0 Hart c Latif b Akhtar 0 Adams b Akhtar 2 Tuffey not out 18 Walker b Akhtar 8 Butler b Akhtar 0 Extras (b-1 lb-8 nb-5 w-3) 17 Total (all out, 30 overs) 122 Fall of wickets: 1-53 2-59 3-60 4-72 5-74 6-77 7-92 8-92 9-105 Bowling: Wasim Akram 7-2-26-1, Waqar Younis 6-0-32-1, Abdur Razzak 4-1-17-0, Shoaib Akhtar 9-1-16-6, Saqlain Mushtaq 4-0-22-1 (w-2).
PTI |
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Murali out for
a month, to
miss first Test Colombo, April 21 Muralitharan suffered a slight dislocation and torn ligaments in his left shoulder while fielding against Pakistan in the Sharjah Cup final last week but a specialist in Australia said he would not need surgery. “He will be put in a special brace with a sling for a period of four weeks after which time he will be re-evaluated,” Whatmore said at a ceremony just before Sri Lanka left for Britain. “We are hopeful he will be able to play some part in the later stages of the tour,” he said. Sri Lanka will play three Tests against England, with the first starting on May 16 at the Lord’s, and will also take part in a one-day tournament.
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British
Press targets Eriksson London, April 21 After the frenzy of concern over captain David Beckham’s injured left foot, it is now the Swede’s turn to savour the experience of the British Press going full tilt at a story combining the twin tabloid passions of sex and soccer. Reports of his burgeoning relationship with a fellow Swede, London-based TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson, ranged from the lurid to the fearful. “Nanny caught Sven at it with Ulrika,” trumpeted the News of the World. “She walked in as they romped naked in bed.” Other newspapers feared for Eriksson’s future as national team boss, seeing the words of his Italian partner Nancy Dell’Olio — that they will decide after the World Cup finals whether to stay in England — as a sign they might go. That would be disastrous for England who Eriksson, in little over a year in his job, has turned from dull also-rans to outside contenders at the World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea in June. Neither of the two principal parties were speaking to anyone. Eriksson, 53, was at the home he shares with Dell’Olio, 37, after a late meal out, according to the reporters and photographers now pursuing him. Jonsson, 34, was also at home. She found time yesterday to watch Premiership champions Manchester United defeat Chelsea, a match also watched — although in a different part of the stadium — by Eriksson. The only key player to have said anything is Dell’Olio, through an intercom at their flat. “We’re still together and we’re talking together,” she told reporters. “What the papers are saying is rubbish. It’s the facts we’re talking about. Asked if Eriksson would consider resigning because of the tabloid intrusion she replied: “The press has been so irresponsible. “He doesn’t need it, we don’t need it, all of this. Everything we do, we do together. We are going to decide after the World Cup.” The story broke in Friday’s edition of the Daily Mirror, and Jonsson’s agent has refused to deny it. The Football Association, Eriksson’s employer, is standing by him, according to the Mail today which cited FA sources saying he had worked “terrifically hard” and done a “fantastic job.” “We accept there will be a lot of ballyhoo, but we believe it will die down rapidly once the World Cup gets underway,” said an FA insider. Even before Eriksson took the job, lured from Italian Serie A club Lazio, he had worried that his private life would come under close scrutiny.
AFP |
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India, Japan
record victories
Margao, April 21 Earlier, Japan hammered Korea Republic 7-0 to score their second win and move to the top of the table with six points. Determined to collect full points, India played an attacking game and dominated the Group ‘A’ league match throughout but could not get an early goal as they found stiff resistance from rival keeper Ana Dee Garcia. India shot into the lead with one minute left for the interval through substitute Blanka Barretto whose 20-yard shot off a pass from Kiranmala Devi found the net. India continued to hold midfield superiority after the break and increased the lead in the 54th minute. Defender Maynol Rocky floated the ball into the goalmouth only to see Ibempishak Devi putting the ball in. India kept up the pressure and probed into the rival half with ease and made it 3-0 through Maynol Rocky whose rasping shot gave the Guam keeper no chance to react. Rehana Kahtun then consolidated the lead when she connected a crisp cross from Tongam Kiranmala Devi from the right. The hosts, who were all over into the rival box, added two more goals in a span of two minutes through Geeta Rani to complete the Guam rout. In the earlier match, strong contenders Japan trounced Korean Republic 7-0 to move to the top of the table and virtually qualify for the next round. Japanese girls, who led 2-0 at half time, dominated the game throughout and scored through a brace by substitute Shinobu Ohno (51st, 87th) and a goal each from Aya Miyama (6th), Kanako Ito (25th), Ayako Kitamoto (74th), Kana Watanabe (79th) and Karina Maruyama (81st).
PTI |
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HP to establish sports academy Shimla, April 21 The academy to be set up with assistance from the Centre, will involve an investment of Rs 10 crore. The Government of India sanctioned projects worth Rs 10.11 crores last year. These included a Rs 99 lakh sports hostel at Bilaspur, Rs 241.72 lakh indoor stadium and sports hostels (Una), Rs 142.60 lakh, indoor stadium (Solan), Rs 127 lakh indoor stadium (Mandi) and Rs 109.25 lakh indoor stadium (Tauni Devi). Besides, it also sanctioned Rs 92 lakh for the ice-skating rink, Shimla. The government has doubled the cash awards for outstanding sportspersons securing the first three positions in individual events at the international level. They will now be given a cash awards of Rs 1 lakh, Rs 60,000 and Rs 40,000, respectively. In team events (first two positions) each player will get an award of Rs 40,000 and Rs 30,000, respectively. At the national level the cash awards for top three positions will be Rs 20,000, Rs 10,000 and Rs 6,000 whereas Rs 4,000 and Rs 2,000 will be given to each player for the first 10 positions in team events in any senior national championship. The job quota for outstanding sportspersons has been enhanced from 1 per cent to 3 per cent and under the new policy jobs will be provided in all departments, corporations, boards and universities. With a view to providing infrastructural and other facilities to the sportspersons, 28 sports complexes with an investment of Rs 8.69 crore have been completed during last year and 18 such complexes involving an expenditure of Rs 3.07 crore are under construction. To provide better coaching facilities to sportspersons, 40 new coaches had been appointed raising the total number of coaches to 130 in the state. High quality modern synthetic tracks and Astro Turf are being laid with assistance from the Central Government to provide modern playing field facilities. The government has also decided to establish one major sports centre at each district headquarter within the next three years. Each project, which will have indoor and outdoor sports facilities, will cost Rs 2 crore. One time lump-sum grant of Rs 1.5 lakh is being given to one rural school in each block for development of playground and purchase of sports equipments and about 70 schools will be provided this grant during the current financial year. More than 40 per cent of the budget allocated to youth services and sports development is being spent on providing infrastructural facilities for upcoming youngsters in various sports and as many as 300 playgrounds, stadium and district level-stadiums have been constructed during the past three years. The Department of Sports and Youth Services is also giving grant-in-aid to registered ‘yuva’ and ‘mahila mandals’ for organising sports, cultural and other activities. The government has started a nodal youth club scheme under which sports and related equipment worth Rs 10,000 is given to select clubs in each block for two years and a youth volunteer is appointed on an honorarium of Rs 500 per month. The government has also instituted district youth awards, which are given to individual male and female and youth clubs for outstanding participation in social, cultural, sports and other developmental activities in their respective district. |
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AI, PSB in last 8 Mumbai, April 21 While AI, who led 1-0 at half time, scraped past a fighting ONGC, Delhi, 3-2, the bankmen struck once in each half to beat Bombay Customs 2-0 in a one-sided contest. The AI-ONGC tie, which was marked by frayed tempers, saw the umpire flashing yellow cards against four players of either sides. Air-India shot into the lead when former international and defender Anil Aldrin smartly tapped in a rebound to enable his side to go to the break with a 1-0 lead. In the 46th minute centre half Kishore Kumar made it 2-0 when he scored also off a rebound. Earlier, forward Tushar Khandekar’s try off a Roshan Tete cross rebounded straight to Kumar. Down by two goals, ONGC, however, fought back superbly with Anurag Raghuvanshi converting a penalty stroke in the 53rd minute. The spot kick was awarded after ONGC forward Amarjeet Pratap was blocked by AI defenders inside the circle. Four minutes later, ONGC right half Gurpreet Singh equalised off a rebound after Amardeep Pratap’s hit ricochetted off Air-India goalkeeper Adrian D’Souza’s pads. Despite the local team being reduced to 10 men after Aldrin was sent off with a yellow card, they managed to get the match winner through Khandekar in a counter attack, just two minutes before the final whistle. In the Punjab and Sind Bank vs Bombay Customs match, both the goals were scored by forward Parminder Singh for the bankmen. In the sixth minute Parminder put his team ahead when he tapped home a Sanjeev Kumar pass. With a couple of minutes to go for the final hooter, Parminder, again was on target off Dang’s cross.
PTI |
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Amritsar
beat Moga in basketball Chandigarh, April 21 The matches will be played on knock-out-cum-league basis. The semifinals in both the sections will be played on league basis. According to Mr Teja Singh Dhaliwal, secretary general, Punjab Basketball Association, the probables, for Punjab for the Junior National Basketball Championships to be held in Goa, will be selected during this championship. In another match, Faridkot outscored Ferozepore 47.6. In the girls section, Faridkot defeated Sangrur 36-12. |
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Seminar
postponed Chandigarh, April 21 |
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