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Saturday,
June 29, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Korea, Turkey battle for pride South Korea's Ahn Jung-hwan answers questions in Kyongju, southeast of Seoul on Friday. South Korea will play against Turkey for the third place of the World Cup finals in Taegu on Saturday. Fitting finale to World Cup Most-awaited final ever |
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Big Phil, Voeller ready for showdown
Time for prayers, lucky charms Brazil practice penalties Hard work, experience coming together for Kahn Germans ‘burning with desire’ 4 Brazilians, 3 Germans in
all-star team Hamann pushed into limelight
Philippoussis blasts into 4th round
Chetan Sharma writes India meet assertive
England today 44-run victory for England
Punjab team for Kenya tour
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Korea, Turkey battle for pride
Daegu (South Korea), June 28 By reaching the semifinals both teams had gone further at this World Cup than ever before. And neither will want to go into the record book as the fourth-best nation in the world after the historic runs they had. The Turks returned to the finals for the first time since 1954 and battled through a tough group C to advance past the first round for the first time. Turkey then knocked off Japan in the round of 16 and Senegal in the quarterfinals.4 The streets of Istanbul and the rest of Turkey were filled with excited fans. Turkish coach Senol Gunes and his players said they were pleased to give their people a reason to be happy during these difficult times. But the four-time world champions Brazil proved a bit too much for the Turks, bring their historic run to an end. “We came to the World Cup to take part in a festival and I think we played our role. I’m sorry about one thing - that we were not able to give Turkish people some more joy,’’ Gunes said. The Turks have another chance as tomorrow’s match at Daegu World Cup Stadium will be the teams’ third meeting in history - and second time at the finals. The first encounter came in the first round of the 1954 World Cup in Geneva, where Sargun Burhan scored a hat-trick and Mamat Suat a brace as Turkey beat Korea 7-0. Turkey also won their second encounter, 1-0, in October 1961 in Istanbul. But South Korea and the Turkey played to a scoreless draw in a late March 2002 friendly in Bochum, Germany. At the World Cup, the South Korean national team, of course, sent the nation into a Red Devils frenzy, using the home support to capture their first-ever World Cup victory in the group D opener against Poland. Victories in front of the sea of red followed against Portugal, Italy and Spain, leaving Guus Hiddink’s team in the semifinals against Germany. The majestic run of the co-hosts, however, came to end against the three-time winners and leaves them facing the Turks battling for World Cup bronze honours. “There is a big difference between the third and fourth place so it is important for us to take third place by beating Turkey. We will do our best,’’ said Hiddink, who is expected to step down after the match. Hiddink has some injury concerns for the match as defender Choi Jin cheul and midfielder Kim Nam Il are doubtful. Choi Tae uk, Yoon Jong hwan and Hyun Young min are among those being dubbed as possible replacements. Turkish coach Gunes, meanwhile, is mulling over starting striker Ilham Mansiz alongside captain Hakan Sukur up front - a move the coach was hesitant on making to start the Brazil match but undertook after the hour mark — only too late. Senol Gunes today admitted it has been difficult to remotivate his troops for tomorrow’s match after losing to Brazil in the semifinals. “It is hard to remotivate teams with great expectations and great targets when they lose out. Yes, of course, Turkey and South Korea could be sad because they are not playing in the World Cup final,’’ gunes told a news conference in Daegu. “But if you had asked these two nations before the tournament if they would like to play in the third place play-off, they would have definitely accepted.’’ “In this World Cup, both teams have made a huge impact. My wish was that these two teams would play in the final. This could have created another huge impact but it did not happen,’’ Gunes said. The coach called the World Cup a “marathon’’ and admitted his team is tired and disappointed, saying: “We are obviously disappointed with losing the semifinal against Brazil. But, of course it’s not the end of the world.’’ DPA
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Fitting
finale to World Cup
Yokohama, June 28 For despite winning the World Cup seven times between them, and despite this being the seventh final for both countries, neither was really expected to make it this far. World champions France and pre-tournament favourites Argentina were strongly tipped to contest the final — but after both were eliminated in the first round, Brazil and Germany took full advantage of the way the competition opened up. Just one month ago British bookies priced Brazil at odds of between 6-1 and 13-2 to win the World Cup, while Germany were considered even less of a chance at odds ranging between 12-1 to 16-1. But as so often happens when the serious stuff starts, indifferent form in the qualifiers or the friendlies has been forgotten about. Brazil and Germany have dug into their reserves of mental strength, of superior organisation, invoked their sense of destinies and also produced some very fine play when it mattered, and are now just one game away from the ultimate triumph in the game. Brazil begin as favourites primarily because Ronaldo and Rivaldo cannot stop scoring goals and because Germany have lost their main creative player Michael Ballack who is suspended. But Brazil will not under-estimate their opponents in what is incredibly, the first ever meeting in the finals between the two traditionally dominant countries of world soccer. Italy and Argentina might like to claim otherwise, but Germany come to the final with the greatest record of any European country while Brazil boast not only the best record among the South Americans, but also the world. In many ways it is the perfect finale for the first finals in Asia and could bring the tournament to a close on a high. Brazil’s assault on their fifth world title — their eagerly awaited “penta’’ following their previous successes in 1958, 1962, 1970 and 1994 — will be spearheaded by the twin strike-force of Ronaldo and Rivaldo. They will need to be at their sharpest and most incisive to beat Germany’s best player — skipper and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn. Ronaldo (6 goals) and Rivaldo (5) will also give the severest test to the German defence which has conceded only one goal in the entire tournament — Robbie Keane’s late equaliser for Ireland in their 1-1 draw with Germany in the first round. Since then Germany have gone four matches without conceding a goal and while their football has not exactly been brimming with dazzling ball skills and flair, it has been effective enough. Much of the attention will be on Ronaldo, playing in his second World Cup final following his own personal nightmare of 1998. Then, just a few hours after suffering a fit, he was a shadow of his usual self. He will be aiming to consign that personal demon to the rubbish bin of his own personal memory book. Cafu, meanwhile, will be making history of another kind by becoming the first player ever to appear in three World Cup finals after appearing as a substitute in 1994 and playing in 1998. Coach Luis Felipe “Big Phil’’ Scolari is expected to start with the same team that beat England 2-1 in the quarter-finals, reinstating Ronaldinho to the starting line-up after he was suspended from the semi-final win over Turkey after his red card against England. Germany will rely on their traditional virtues which, according to coach Rudi Voeller means: “plenty of order and discipline’’. “We must switch to the attacking mode but we must do it carefully because Brazil have players capable of using any opportunity to counter-attack,’’ added the former World Cup striker.
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Most-awaited final ever
Rio de Janeiro, June 28 With seven finals apiece, four-time winners Brazil will face three-times champions Germany for the first time ever in the World Cup. “The final of all the cups,” read the headline in Rio de Janeiro’s Une O Globo which surmised: “A goal from the toe, a la Romario (former World Cup hero who was controversially left out of the squad), put Brazil against Germany for the most-awaited World Cup final in history.” Paper O Estado de Sao Paulo wrote: “At least on the number of titles they’ve conquered, Brazil and Germany will contest a final bigger than the 17 that have already taken place.” Under a headline of “Simply the kings” Sports paper Lance insisted: “Brazil head towards the le penta (fifth title) to reign-supreme over World football at least until 2010.” The man who scored that Romario-esque strike to dump Turkey 1-0 and put Brazil on the brink of five titles, Ronaldo, was hailed a re-born hero.
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Big Phil, Voeller ready for showdown
Yokohama (Japan), June 28 Brazil’s Luiz Felipe Scolari and Germany’s Rudi Voeller are two of the hungriest animals in the football jungle. At Yokohama’s International Stadium, the pair will be on the edge of their touchline boxes, and sometimes out of them, as their players battle it out for the right to call themselves champions of the world. Scolari, known affectionately as ‘Big Phil’ or less warmly as ‘donkey’ depending on how Brazil are doing, has little playing pedigree compared to his German counterpart. The 53-year-old was a muck and bullets central defender in southern Brazil and he has encouraged the team to play a game based more on physique than their traditional finesse. Viewing Scolari’s expostulations in the technical area during a game are often as entertaining as watching his team. He berates everyone — referees, linesmen, his own players, reporters — in his quest for success the ugly way. Big Phil, who never played for Brazil, has been known to encourage his players to foul their opponents, waste time and employ all sorts of gamesmanship to achieve the required outcome. The results have been impressive. His success in guiding Gremio to successive Libertadores Cup and national league titles in 1995 and 1996 by employing a fiercely physical playing style is unquestionable. Palmeiras also won the 1999 Libertadores title under Scolari. Since replacing Emerson Leao as Brazil coach in June 2001, Scolari has withstood a barrage of criticism, come through a poor qualifying campaign and resisted a national hue and cry to revive the international career of ageing striker Romario. “I say to the people of Brazil: Believe, believe, believe, because we can do much more,” he says. “Not only in football, the whole nation can do more.” Such mental determination is a major factor in the psychological make-up of Voeller. Eleven years Scolari’s junior, Voeller moved into coaching after an illustrious playing career at the highest level. Germany’s 1990 World Cup success, when Voeller won the decisive penalty in the final against Argentina, was the highlight of his career, even though it followed a disgraceful spitting incident with Dutchman Frank Rijkaard earlier in the tournament. Three years later Voeller was part of the Olympique Marseille side that won the European Cup and he is loved in Germany for having spent much of his playing career helping the national team out of some desperate scrapes. The striker also scored in the 2-3 1986 World Cup final defeat by Argentina and won 90 caps in total for his country. Despite almost no prior coaching experience, he is now on the brink of becoming Germany’s fourth World Cup-winning coach. Voeller’s success, in transforming a German side that looked down and out after their 1-5 home humiliation by England in qualifying to World Cup finalists in the space of nine months, is astounding. Reuters
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Redemption for Ronaldo?
Yokohama, June 28 But there has been no more compelling tale than Ronaldo’s liberation from the personal and professional hell he was plunged into four years ago, when he suffered a fit just hours before an unrecognisable Brazil surrendered to France in the final. What exactly happened in that Paris hotel room four years ago remains shrouded in uncertainty. That Ronaldo suffered a convulsion, passed out and regained consciousness after being discovered in the middle of the seizure by team-mate Roberto Carlos is not in question. But the question why has yet to be satisfactorily answered. Various doctors and medical officials have said nothing was wrong with Ronaldo; others that he risked another fit, or even death, by playing. The first team-sheet issued on that afternoon had Ronaldo listed as a substitute. A quarter of an hour later he was on the field. But it was not the real Ronaldo. Instead the Brazil attack was led by a pale shadow of the joyful talent that had been named world player of the year twice before his 21st birthday. Whatever the truth about what went on that Sunday, there is no disputing that the subsequent years have been a form of purgatory for a player who is still only 25, as recurring injuries have combined with self-doubt to cast a question mark over whether he would ever reach his old heights again. AFP
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Secret of Ronaldo’s success
Yokohama, June 28 Four years ago, Ronaldo suffered a mysterious fit in the hours before the World Cup final against France, which reports have speculated was the result of too much pressure being put on him. But a relaxed Ronaldo said after training here today that he felt no added burden going into his second final. "The most important thing is that the team does not make me feel as if I’m a saviour, and that takes the pressure off me," Ronaldo told reporters. "I’m calm. Everyone keeps asking me about 1998 but I honestly am not thinking about it," he said. "I’m trying not to make any link between this game and four years ago. That’s another story and I’m hoping that the end will be different this time. AFP
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Time for prayers, lucky charms
Rio De Janeiro, June 28 It seems as if all 173 million Brazilians believe that "a penta" - that fifth triumph - is at hand in Sunday’s final against Germany and optimism has rocketed since Wednesday’s semi-final win over Turkey after fears that the team would flop after a poor qualifying campaign. "We are currently selling an average of 1,000 metres worth of Brazilian flags per day," says Oswaldo Turuna, who owns "Casa Turuna", a traditional style shop in Rio which sells all kinds of carnival items. "People are coming to buy candles and clay dishes to make offerings to their saint. The idea is to help the Brazilian players to play well or "tie together" the legs of the players from the other team," Turana told AFP. Turana, whose family have owned the shop for 90 years, said sales had started to rise strongly once Ronaldo, Rivaldo and co. reached the quarter-finals or as he put it "when Brazil started playing better football." "The supporters got all enthusiastic and came to buy yellow and green material to make t-shirts and banners. "They’re also buying firecrackers, whistles and trumpets," he explained as the fiesta-loving nation gears up to throw a big party in the expectation that the "auriverde" will beat the Germans in Yokohama, Japan. But sales are still lame compared with some previous World Cups. "There’s unemployment and an economic crisis but it’s also to do with the kickoff times," says Turuna. Some matches have kicked off as early as 3 a.m. while the final starts at 8 a.m. "So a lot more people stay at home," Turuna explains. "And a lot of Brazilian people wait until the last minute. I’m sure that come Saturday the supporters will come and have a rush on candles and incense ‘to pray and ensure that no evil eye falls on the side." AFP
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Brazil practice penalties
Yokohama, June 28 Brazil, who won the 1994 final against Italy on penalties and beat Holland from the spot in the semifinal at France 98, are clear favourites to win Sunday’s final inside the 90 minutes. But coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is clearly leaving nothing to chance. Ronaldo, who finished the semifinal win over Turkey complaining of pain in this left thigh and lower legs, took part in the Brazilians’ training session but appeared to be taking things easy for fear of aggravating his niggling injuries. As usual, the Brazilians were divided into two groups for most of the session with Scolari’s first choice line-up training separately from the reserves. The division indicated that Brazil will start the final with the same team that began against Turkey in the semi-final, except with Ronaldinho returning from suspension to replace
Edilson. AFP |
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Hard work, experience coming together for Kahn
Seoul, June 28 ‘’It’s a combination of a lot of hard work and plenty of experience and it’s all coming together,’’ Germany’s captain said, looking ahead to Sunday’s World Cup final with Brazil. The 33-year-old, whose broad shoulders will carry much of the triple champions’ hopes when they clash with Brazil in the Japanese port city of Yokohama, had to endure a frustrating wait before winning universal acclaim. For years in the shadow of Bodo Illgner, then Andreas Koepke, he was a reserve goalkeeper at the last two World Cup finals and was also on the bench when Germany tasted their last international triumph at Euro 1996. One of few German players to escape criticism after the shock first round exit from Euro 2000, he was deeply affected by the fact that his first major tournament with the national team was a disaster. He has kept saying since that Germany did not show their true form then and while many had written them off before the World Cup started, Kahn repeated day after day that the team could restore pride by having a great tournament. He is certainly making the most of his second chance to shine on the big stage and Germany’s goalkeeper coach Sepp Maier, a member of the 1974 World Cup-winning side and one of the finest keepers of all time, admitted he was impressed. ‘’He is at the peak of his career,’’ Maier said of Kahn, who will win his 53rd cap on Sunday and is already dreaming of playing the next finals in 2006 in Germany. ‘’In my opinion he is the best player of the tournament.’’ With Kahn stopping everything thrown at him, Germany have conceded just one goal en route to the big game, matching the record set by the Netherlands before they lost 1-2 to Germany in the 1974 final. Regarded as average in his learning years, Kahn was obsessed with perfection from an early age and his father, Rolf, still remembers how his son used to wake him up early on Sundays because he wanted to train. ‘’He had only one goal and that was to become professional,’’ Rolf Kahn, who made the trip to Asia, said of his son. That aim was achieved in 1990, when he made his Bundesliga debut for his home town club, Karlsruhe SC, but his career really took off after he joined Bayern Munich in 1994. The following year he won his first cap, in a 2-1 victory over Switzerland in Berne, but not until Koepke retired from international football after the 1998 World Cup in France did he become the undisputed number one. Not unlike Peter Schmeichel with the same massive frame and shock of blond hair, Kahn, who hardly ever smiles even when he cracks a joke, replaced the former Manchester United and Denmark great as arguably the world’s best goalkeeper with a fantastic season with Bayern last year. Three saves in the shoot-out that gave the Munich club their Champions League final victory over Valencia crowned a memorable campaign in which he also helped his team win yet another German title. For years a discreet family man off the pitch, Kahn, who married his longtime girlfriend Simone in 1999 and is devoted of their three-year-old daughter, Katharina-Maria, then started to change. Wearing designer clothes and sporting a fancy haircut, he appeared frequently in television shows and advertised everything from mineral water to washing machines. He also bought a Ferrari. A keen golfer, he never leaves his mobile phone behind to keep track of his options on the stock market. ‘’I think he’s lost it a bit,’’ Borussia Dortmund midfielder Andreas Moeller said a few months ago of a player who earns five million euros a year according to reports in the German media. The Dortmund players are not Kahn’s biggest fans as it was against two of them that his tendency to over-react under pressure won him unwanted headlines. His own team-mates have also experienced his outbursts as he once shoved Andreas Herzog out of the penalty area after a defensive blunder from the Austrian international. But nobody is blaming him now that he has become the inspiration behind Germany’s much-awaited revival and a symbol for their recaptured winning spirit. ‘’He is making himself immortal at this tournament,’’ said Maier.
Reuters
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Germans
‘burning with desire’
Seoul, June 28 “We have to create our chances, but we have to be careful not to open two much”, Voeller said “We are playing against the best team in the world, we have nothing to lose”, Voeller said. He has assigned the role of favourites to Brazil, perhaps also to lift some pressure off his players. Germany came into the tournament with low expectations. But now the players want to return home with the trophy. “They are burning with desire and I wish we were playing tomorrow,” Voeller said. “You can see in training how eager they are. They’ve left all their physical and mental strains behind them.” Striker Miroslav
Klose, who is battling for the Golden Boot award with Ronaldo and
Rivaldo, has recovered from bruised ribs. Substitute striker Carsten
Jancker, who had a sore throat and slight fever yesterday, will also be ready to play, Voeller said. Klose has not scored in three games and has been stuck on five goals. Ronaldo leads the scorers list with six and Rivaldo also has five. Voeller would not give any hints about line-up. “I have it more or less in my head and I know the tactics we will use, but I am not going to say more,” he said. “Anyway, there are not too many secrets between us. We all know each other from the Champions League and other competitions. Brazil will play the way it always plays,” Voeller said. “Perhaps the advantage in playing Brazil is that none of their players are unknown to us.” Voeller played two World Cup finals as a player, winning the title in 1990. If Germany wins Sunday’s final, Voeller will match Franz Beckenbauer’s feat of winning the title both as player and coach. Beckenbauer was Voeller’s coach in 1990.
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Jeremies
likely to replace Ballack Seoul, June 28 "Jens Jeremies has put up solid performances and is a strong candidate," Skibbe said yesterday of the Bayern Munich player, who has been used mostly as a substitute so far. "He’s a good option." Ballack, who has been instrumental in Germany’s run to the final, ruled himself out with a second yellow card.
Reuters
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Brazilians, 3 Germans in all-star team Yokohama, June 28 The list chosen by former national coaches includes Brazilians Roberto Carlos, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and the tournament’s top scorer so far with six goals, Ronaldo. Goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, midfielder Michael Ballack and striker Miroslav Klose are the choices from the German team which plays Brazil in Sunday’s final. US captain Claudio Reyna is given a place in midfield as a reward for his team’s charge to the last eight. Veteran South Korean defender Hong Myung-Bo and England central defender Sol Campbell are also chosen among the best players of the finals, while Senegal’s El-Hadji Diouf and Hasan Sas from surprise semi-finalists Turkey complete the strikeforce alongside Ronaldo and Klose. The sponsors of the team have donated $300,000 to the United Nations’ Children’s Fund (UNICEF). World Cup all star team: Goalkeeper: Oliver Kahn (Germany), Rustu Recber (Turkey). Defenders:
Roberto Carlos (Brazil), Sol Campbell (England), Hong Myung-Bo (South Korea), Alpay Ozalan (Turkey), Fernando Hierro (Spain). Midfielders:
Rivaldo (Brazil), Ronaldinho (Brazil), Claudio Reyna (USA), Michael Ballack (Germany), Yoo Sang-Chul (South Korea). Forwards: Ronaldo (Brazil), El-Hadji Diouf (Senegal), Hasan Sas (Turkey), Miroslav Klose (Germany).
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Hamann
pushed into limelight Seoul, June 28 “Didi always gives his very best, no matter at which level or in which position he plays,’’ coach Rudi Voeller said on Friday. Voeller hoped Hamann, who embodies the virtues that have helped Germany recapture their winning ways, would help his team counter Brazil’s brilliant side. “Before every game, he says ‘keep order’,’’ Voeller said. “He doesn’t say it loud but then, he helps the team do just that.’’ With Jens Jeremies expected to replace him in his usual defensive role at the centre of midfield, Hamann should get more exposure further up the field in a game he described as a unique opportunity.
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Philippoussis
blasts into 4th round
London, June 28 In the first set, the attacking German raced into a 3-0 lead before Philippoussis had got into his stride. Kiefer's consistency deservedly gave him the set 6-3. The roles were reversed in the second set. Philippoussis's booming serve — he is nicknamed "The Scud" for the missiles he sends down — moved into top gear. He raced to a 3-0 lead, delivered 10 zinging aces and levelled the match. Chanda Rubin's grasscourt winning ways continued when she breezed past 21st seed Tatiana Panova 6-4, 6-1 into the fourth round. Panova, conqueror of fellow Russian Anna Kournikova in the first round, was unable to get to grips with Rubin's slick grasscourt game on an overcast court three. Venus Williams loves playing doubles with sister Serena because it gives them a chance to catch up on news. "We always have fun," Venus told reporters after an easy 6-2, 6-2 victory over Germany's Kirstin Freye and Japan's Rika Hiraki. Meanwhile yesterday fourth seed Tim Henman turned the weight of British hope and expectancy to his advantage as he overcame a poor start to thunder past Australian Scott Draper 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 in the second round . The national media — quick to pounce on Wednesday's shock exits of Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Marat Safin — made Henman acutely aware before his centre court date that he would never have a better chance of ending Britain's 66-year wait for a men's singles champion. Reuters
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Chetan
Sharma writes India are all set to take on England on their home soil for their first encounter of the triangular series for the Nat West Trophy. England after their 2-0, Test series win against Sri Lanka have continued with their winning streak by posting a comprehensive win against the Sri Lankans on the opening day-and-night encounter at Trent Bridge. India have a distinct psychological advantage over England, having won the one-day series in India 3-2, India also recorded another one-day series win soon after in the Caribbean. The present one-day triangular series is very important for the all teams in the run-up to the World Cup to be played in South Africa in early 2003. India who won the World Cup in 1983 at Lords, will be playing their first match of the series at the same venue. On paper India appear to be the strongest batting team in the competition and I have a strong feeling that if the Indians can put up a decent total of over 280 runs it would give enough leverage to the Indian bowlers to bowl out the opposition. Saurav Ganguly, Varinder Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Dinesh Mongia, Yuvraj Singh, Mohd Kaif and V.V.S. Laxman are capable of taking the English attack head on. The English attack has been considerably weakened by the absence of their pace bowlers Andrew Caddick and Darren Gough. The latter might play but is not likely to be at his best after an injury layoff. The other English bowler Mathew Hoggard, Andrew Flintoff and Ashley Giles have been successfully handled by the Indians earlier and to my mind Allex Tudor the medium fast bowler may be the dark horse. England is having a dry summer and the wickets being flat are not likely to give any purchase to the fast bowlers which means that the matches in the series would be batsman dominated and it is in this department that India have an edge over England and Sri Lanka. On a head-to-head count England have their skipper Nasser Hussain, Marcus Trescotheque, Graham Thorpe, Alec Stewart, Nick Knight and all rounder Adrew Flintoff to pose some threat to the Indian attack which to my mind will revolve around the spin duo Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh who in the absence of Sri Lanka off-sppiner Muralitharan are the most lethal bowling combination in this series. As there is no moisture in the wickets at this time of the year the Indian spinners rather then the medium pacers will call the tune. England would field their side on predictable lines but the Indian thinktanks has to decide on a vital position of the wicketkeeper whether they would like to continue their experiment with Rahul Dravid or put faith in either Ajay Ratra or Prathiv Patel. It would be hard to comprehend a side carrying two wicketkeepers on the tour and playing the series with a make-shift wicketkeeper. It is hard to understand how the Indian team management is looking to build the confidence of these two young players who have made it to the national side with their hard work and talent. I strongly feel the Indian management should come out of the ‘safety first’ mould and have a positive and attacking approach. To my mind India should open with Saurav Ganguly and Varinder Sehwag with Dinesh Mongia coming at number three followed by Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Ajay Ratra as wicketkeeper. Ajit Agarkar should fill the allrounder’s slot, Harbhajan and Anil Kumble the spinners berth and Zahir Khan and Ashish Nehra spearheading the pace attack. This would be the right mix if the Indian team is to play positive cricket and if they are looking for an extra batsman in place of the wicketkeeper then Yuvraj Singh fills in the bill as he can be used as a left-arm spinner also. I, however, feel that this would be quite hard on Rahul Dravid who has to play a lot of Test cricket and happens to be India’s “Mr Dependable” in batting. Would the Indian team management be far-sighted or will they be looking for short-term gains, shall be known in the coming days.
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India meet assertive
England today London, June 28 True, even with the limited options available, England were able to comfortably romp home against Sri Lanka in the opening day-night match last night, the 44-run victory providing a major boost to the home team which had suffered losses to county sides in their practice games. But England had the cushion of a huge total which the batsmen had put up and the bowlers were never really stretched. It is because of this that the performance of the main Indian batsmen would be very crucial. Coach John Wright talked about Indians being capable of putting the opposition under pressure and his team must prove that capability here.
PTI
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44-run victory for England Trent Bridge, June 28 England scored an imposing 293 for six in their alotted 50 overs after electing to bat in the day-night encounter and then restricted Sri Lanka to 249 for nine in a fine all-round performance that saw Andrew Flintoff excel with the bat as well as the ball. England: 293 Sri Lanka: Jayasuriya c Hussain
b Hoggard 12 Kaluwitharana c Thorpe Atapattu c Irani b Flintoff 47 Jayawardene b Collingwood 29 Arnold run out (Hoggard) 29 Sangakkara c Kirtley Chandana c Thorpe b Flintoff 1 Nawaz not out 15 Vaas b Kirtley 10 Zoyza b Kirtley 0 Fernando not pout 5 Extras (b-1 lb-10 nb-6 w-10) 27 Total (for nine wickets) 249 FoW: 1-19, 2-91, 3-149, 4-152, 5-214, 6-215, 7-215, 8-238, 9-238. Bowling: Hoggard 10-0-49-1, Kirtley 10-0-40-2, Irani 10-0-39-0, Flintoff 10-0-49-3, Giles 5-0-30-0, Collingwood 5-0-31-2.
PTI
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Punjab
team for Kenya tour Chandigarh, June 28 The Punjab team, to be led by Vikram Rathore, has Dinesh Mongia and Yuvraj Singh in its ranks. These two players are currently touring England with The Indian team but will be released from national duty once the one-day three-nation series is over. The following is the team : Vikram Rathore, Ravneet Ricky, Munish Sharma, Dinesh Mongia, YuvRaj Singh, Pankaj Dharmani, Ankur Kakkar, Vineet Sharma, Gagandeep Singh, Babloo Kumar, Reetinder Sodhi, Sandeep Sanwal, Harikishan Kali, Amit Uniyal, Chander Madan and Rajesh Sharma.
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Daegu (South Korea), June 28
