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Friday,
May 24, 2002, Chandigarh, India   |
Borde blames seamers India, Pak cricketers to play in USA India 'A’ struggling in second ‘Test’ Punjab cricket team for Kenya |
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Latin America look to show their pedigree at World Cup
Keane kicked out of Irish team
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Kirtane,
Uppal win doubles title First leg of ITF meet from May 27
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Borde blames seamers Pune, May 23 Borde said the Sabina Park track was tailor-made for seamers but India’s three-pronged pace attack failed to deliver the goods. India could have snatched the initiative by capturing at least three to four wickets in the opening session itself, he added. The former India captain also blamed the Indian fast bowlers for being carried away by the nature of the wicket. They lost the game in their minds, Borde said. The seamers were not only wayward in their line and length but also lacked ball control. Borde complimented the Windies on their fine showing in the series despite lacking batting depth. Assessing the merits and demerits of the Indian team, Borde, himself a 55-Test veteran, said the Indian batting had failed to click with the openers failing to give a semblance of a start. On Sachin Tendulkar, Borde said, “there comes a phase when every batsman goes through a bad patch, but then Tendulkar bounced back with a fine knock in the last Test.’’ He also came down on batting, saying that it lacked consistency as the specialist batsmen had failed to convert the 30s and 40s into big scores. Borde rued the loss of leg spinner Anil Kumble through injury. “Kumble had the ability to exert pressure in order to keep the opposition batting in check. On the other hand Harbhajan Singh failed to exploit the conditions. In all fairness, though, the pitches were not to his liking,’’ he added. Borde had a word of praise for young wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra. He expressed optimism that India would bounce back in the one-day series and redeem themselves. Meanwhile, in Mumbai, former India captain G.S. Ramchand urged the cricket authorities in the country to go back to the drawing board to see where things were going wrong and take immediate corrective action. Ramchand rued the lack of discipline in the present Indian team even as he came down heavily on selectors and players alike. Speaking to UNI about the causes of India’s defeat in West Indies, Ramchand said the selection of the Indian cricket team was flawed. “The right players are not being selected,” he added. “We took only two openers to West Indies and Dinesh Mongia was not tried at all”, Ramchand said. He also criticised India’s main strike bowler Javagal Srinath calling him a liability in the field and with the bat. “He is totally unfit and cannot bat or field,” Ramchand said and added “we took four fast bowlers but played only three.” “We should have tried Yohanan as he is young and raring to go. He will be energetic in the field and will perform better with the bat.” “Our batting depends heavily all the time on the middle order while the openers as well as the tail-enders cave in completely”, he pointed out. Ramchand also criticised opener Shiv Sunder Das for being unable to play the short ball. “You have to cope up with the different wickets there. You have to learn to play the horizontal bat shots where the ball bounces.” Ramchand said he did not understand Ganguly’s tactics of “over attacking” in the West Indies second innings of the last Test. “If he had defended a bit, the score would not have swelled so much. We had such an attacking field that instead of singles, most of the shots were going for boundaries with no third man or deep square leg,” the former Test player pointed out.
UNI |
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Punjab cricket team for Kenya Chandigarh, May 23 Since Kenya has been granted one-day status by the International Cricket Council (ICC) all the five one-day matches between Punjab and Kenya will be treated as first class matches. The matches will be played at Nairobi and Mombasa, both shortlisted as centres for the World Cup scheduled to be held next year in Africa. The PCA secretary, who had gone to Kenya to examine the grounds where the Punjab team would play, said the pitches in Kenya were green-topped and would enable the Punjab boys to overcome their inherent fear of playing on grassy strips at home. Mr Pandove disclosed that the Punjab team would consist of 16 players, one coach and a manager. The players for the tour will be picked from a list of 35 shortlisted players who will undergo training at the PCA Stadium. It would be in the course of the training camp and depending on which Punjab players would be selected for the Indian team scheduled to tour England from mid-June that the final 16 would be picked. While the PCA will bear the cost of the travel of the team from Chandigarh to Nairobi via Mumbai, the Kenyan Cricket Association will pay for the board, lodging and internal travel expenses of the team. For food, the Kenyan Cricket Association will pay each member of the touring party 1,000 Kenyan shillings (app Rs 800) daily for food while the PCA will pay an additional Rs 500 per day to the players as out of pocket expenses. Mr Pandove said the Kenyan team would make a return tour of Punjab in mid-October during which they would play a number of matches at Mohali/Chandigarh, Patiala, Jalandhar. Ludhiana and Amritsar. Barring Ludhiana, all other centres have international-level facilities. The Kenyan players will be offered the same facilities being given to the Punjab team. In fact, the Kenyan Cricket association has expressed the wish that they should be allowed to practice at the PCA Stadium everytime they are scheduled to play not only in India but also anywhere else in the subcontinent. The PCA authorities have agreed to this request, Mr Pandove added. He also released the calendar for the PCA for the 2002-2003 season. While the minor district tournaments (under-17, under-19 and senior) will be played in May and June, camps at the regional coaching centres for under-14, under-16, under-19 and under-22 will be held during the same period. The off-season coaching camp will be conducted this month at the PCA Stadium and this would be followed by the camp for the probables shortlisted for the tour of Kenya. The inter-district cricket tournaments will be held in August, September and October while the J.P. Atray All-India Invitation Tournament will be played in September/October next. The tournaments conducted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India will commence in October. Mr Pandove said the PCA had decided to earmark 80 per cent of its budget on cricketing activities. |
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India, Pak cricketers to play in USA Islamabad, May 23 The five-day tournament, carrying a total prize purse of $ 50,000 will see leading players from both the countries compete for the title, The News, quoting the president of Sports Worldwide Inc, reported today. India and Pakistan have not had cricket ties since April 1999 when they last met in the Asia Cup final in Dhaka. But the organisers of the double-wicket competition have succeeded in roping in leading players from both countries to meet in the double-wicket tournament to be played at the Astrodome Indoor Stadium which is
air-conditioned and has top class floodlighting system. “There is astro turf installed inside the stadium but we have imported an artificial cricket turf from South Africa on which the matches would be held,” said well-known cricket commentator Hasan Jalil. Former skipper Wasim Akram, Shahid Afridi, Rashid Latif, Azhar Mehmood and Shoaib Malik (reserve) will represent Pakistan while Nayan Mongia, Robin Singh and Muhammad Kaif have been signed on from the Indian side. Mr Jalil said two more current Indian players would also be signed on by end of this month and the organisers were keen to have Yuvraj Singh and Virendra Sehwag in the tournament. “But the Indian board has told us that Sehwag is not available as he would be required for the Test matches in England in July.
UNI |
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India ‘A’
struggling in second ‘Test’ Moratuwa, May 23 India ‘A’ were reduced to 55 for four at close, 227 behind their opponents, after their bowlers had made up for their loose display to dismiss the Sri Lankans for 282. Opener Akash Chopra was batting on 37 and Jai Prakash Yadav was on six at stumps. The Indian top-order failed collectively for the first time in this tour, as former Test allrounder Dulip Liyanage capitalised on the tension that grips batsmen when required to play an awkward hour of play before stumps.
PTI |
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Latin America look to show their pedigree at World Cup Paris, May 23 But it was ever thus, as both continents can point to an equally strong record at the tournament and both put forward their own favourite for this summer’s tournament in the shape of France and Argentina. Those two could meet as early as the second phase depending on their opening group performances and it falls to the Argentines to show that they can live up their billing as the best the Latin American game currently has to offer. Marcelo Bielsa’s men showed their pedigree at home by romping through the qualifying tournament with something to spare, crushing almost everything in their path - aside from a meaningless loss away to bitter rivals Brazil. The Brazilians, four-times world champions to a ‘mere’ two triumphs for the Argentines, in contrast crept through, a win over Venezuela on the final day prodding them over the line following an astonishing six defeats. Paraguay, Chile, Ecuador, Uruguay, Argentina and Bolivia all beat “Big Phil” Felipe Scolari’s side, who finally rallied to pip Paraguay for third place and avoid potential play-off embarrassment against Australia. The poor form of the ‘auriverde’ was bad enough - but what has angered the fans most is that they have become used to “winning ugly” and showing little of the flair for which they gained world renown. Scolari has repeatedly warned the fans that Pele and 1970 are things of the past. “What’s the point of playing brilliantly for three games and then going out?” he asked recently, in allusion to the 1982 squad’s famous loss to a Paolo Rossi-inspired Italy. Brazil can point with some justification to their almost impossibly high standards which had meant just one defeat across previous qualifying tournaments. But they could hardly have imagined that the 2002 qualifiers would bring six more in quick succession as the perennial favourites managed just two away wins. Better news following qualification came with a group C draw which pitted the samba stars against Turkey, China and Costa Rica. Argentina in contrast tore through the opposition and finished 12 points clear of surprise runners-up Ecuador with their loss in Brazil their only reverse in 18 outings. Bielsa’s men have formed a solid — but also spectacular — unit marshalled by Juan Sebastian Veron, who has been the unquestioned boss at the heart of the well-oiled Argentine machine. Bielsa shocked many fans in preferring Lazio’s Hernan Crespo to begin with in several qualifiers but ‘Batigol’ has returned to the fray and even at 33 remains one of the world’s most dangerous forwards. So does 35-year-old veteran Claudio Caniggia — but he is struggling for fitness after suffering a recurrence of a knee ligament injury in the Scottish Cup final. That is but one shadow hanging over what ought to be a super-confident Argentine camp ahead of games against Nigeria, England and Sweden in the “Group of Death”. Bielsa threatened to resign earlier this month over a pay dispute exacerbated by the economic crisis shrouding Argentina, saying he is owed thousands of dollars by the Argentina Football Federation (AFA). AFA president Julio Grondona dismissed any talk of that threat becoming reality.
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Keane kicked out of Irish team London, May 23 Keane had left Ireland’s training camp on Saipan island and was flying home to Europe already. The reports said the Manchester United skipper had been kicked off the squad after making a scathing attack on Ireland’s preparations for the World Cup in an interview with the Irish Times. Keane plunged the Irish squad into turmoil this week when he said he planned to go home only to reverse his decision hours later. Mystery surrounded the exact reasons for Keane’s walkout and U-turn. But the Irish skipper made his reasons plain in a scathing interview with the Irish Times. “I’ve come over here to do well and I want people around me to want to do well,” Keane said. “If I feel we’re not all wanting the same things, there’s no point. It’s been going on a while.” “It’s the whole fact of being away. Maybe I should be okay with it, but enough is enough. I’m banging my head against a brick wall regarding certain issues about this trip. From the training facilities to all sorts. This trip is the tip of the iceberg. “You’ve seen the training pitch and I’m not being a primadonna. Training pitch, travel arrangements, getting through the bloody airport when we were leaving, it’s the combination of things.” “I would never say ‘that’s the reason or this is the reason’, but enough is enough,” Keane added. Keane was unhappy about the long-haul flight to Saipan commenting: “It’s different if we came here to a top training facility. The hotel is fine, but we’ve come here to work. You wonder why players get injured? Well, playing on a surface like that.” “I can’t imagine any other country, countries in the world who are far worse off than us, playing on something like that. I don’t think it’s too much to ask, just for a pitch that’s even watered. It’s so dangerous. It’s rock hard.” “One or two of the lads have picked up injuries. I’m amazed there hasn’t been more but give it time. But you know, we’re the Irish team it’s a laugh and a joke. We shouldn’t expect too much.”
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AIFF appoints foreign coach New Delhi, May 23 Constantine replaces Sukhwinder Singh under whom India put up a creditable show in the pre-World Cup 2002 qualifiers last year. “We are bringing him for the Asian Games. He will land on June 15 and will take care of the team,” AIFF president Priyaranjan Dasmunsi told reporters here today. Constantine, a FIFA instructor and coach, who is now with the Asian Football Confederation, was working with the Nepal team since the last two years. Ukranian Rustam Akramov was the last foreigner to coach the Indian team. “India will also play in a six-nation tournament in Vietnam to prepare for the Games,” Mr Dasmunsi said adding that Shant Mitra would be the Asian Games project director. “We will ask Sukhwinder, the current national coach, whether he can take over as the technical director of the team,” Mr Dasmunsi said. While underlining that the AIFF had not entered into any formal agreement with Constantine, Mr Dasmunsi said further modalities would be worked only after the arrival of Constantine. He also said Alok Mukherjee and Derek Perera, the two assistant coaches, would retain their jobs. Football in Asian Games is restricted to under-23 teams but each team can field four players above the age limit. The AIFF executive
committee which met here today also decided to reduce the number of foreign players in the National Football League (NFL) and other domestic tournaments to provide more opportunities to upcoming talent in the country. Clubs playing in the NFL can now register four foreign players of whom three can play at a time from the existing rule which permits five and four players respectively. In other domestic tournaments, teams can play only two foreigners from a maximum of three who can register from the existing restriction of three and four respectively. After reviewing the sixth NFL, the AIFF has decided to streamline the existing semi-professional set-up. For this, the AIFF has increased the number of teams in the second division to 12 from the present 10 to make the number on par with the premier league. The second division will now comprise two teams relegated from the premier league who will join 10 others. But the AIFF president said unlike in the first division the matches would not be on a home and away basis. A third division will also be set up from which clubs can graduate to the second division. It also congratulated assistant referee K Sankar, for getting the honour of officiating in the World Cup finals and Mohun Bagan coach Subrato Bhatacharjee who was named as the AFC coach of the month in April.
PTI |
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Minister’s bet London, May 23 Sports Minister Richard Caborn got 9-1 odds from British bookmakers William Hill for Thursday’s wager. If England takes the World Cup, Caborn plans to donate his winnings to a charity — the Macmillan Nurses Appeal. If he doesn’t, William Hill will donate his bet to the same charity. England is regarded among the second-tier favourites behind the big four: France, Brazil, Italy and two-time champion Argentina.
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Tickets in post Tokyo, May 23 |
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Kirtane,
Uppal win doubles title Bangalore, May 23 Earlier, continuing with his giant killing act, former Indian Davis Cupper Vishal Uppal blasted out second seed Mustafa Ghouse 6-4, 6-3 in the semi-finals to be in line for a double in the event. He will clash for the title with sixth seed Vijay Kannan, who stopped the dream run of Tomer Suissa of Israel 4-6, 6-1, 7-6, (7-3). Uppal and Kirtane shared the doubles’ prize money of $ 393.75 while Ghouse and Vijay Kannan had to be satisfied with $ 206.25. The final proved to be a tame affair with Ghouse and Vijay Kannan surrendering meekly. The first set went with the serve till the 12th game and in the tie breaker, Kirtane and Uppal took early 4-0 lead and won 7-3 to be one set up. The second saw Vijay Kannan dropping the serve in the second game.
UNI |
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First leg of ITF meet from May 27 Chandigarh, May 23 The number of women in qualifying rounds is also 21. Sonal Phadke of India is leading the list with 616 ranking followed by Radhika Tulpule and Sheethal Goutham. The lone city challenger and fancied Shruti Dhawan is at number four with 716 ranking. The prominent withdrawals for this tournament include Sai Jayaram Jayalakshamy enjoying 647 ranking. The qualifying matches will be held on May 25 and 26 while the main draw matches to begin on May 27 and end no May 31. All the six synthetic courts at CLTA will be put to use. The CLTA had earlier played host to the ITF junior meet in January this year. Keeping in mind the scorching heat, the matches might start early in morning and plans are afoot to conduct the matches in floodlights. After the Chandigarh leg, the next leg with the same prize money will be held at Muzzafarnagar (UP) from June 3, followed by the third leg at Delhi from June 10 and ITF Masters again at Delhi from June 17. |
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