 |
|
Thursday,
January 30, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
|
Players keen to do well: Ganguly
Pakistan may be surprise package of cricket World Cup Seamers’ Cup? 1999 semis debacle still haunts South Africa Gibbs determined as never before |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jury still out on Brian Lara Azhar likely to file review petition
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Patiala stadium to be named after Bhalendra Singh Jora Singh wins 13th gold in national yoga Delhi, Haryana boxers excel
|
|
Players
keen to do well: Ganguly
Durban, January 29 “In one-day cricket, every team is strong. One-day cricket is a matter of 50 overs a side and as a rule you cannot write off any team,” Ganguly said. “We have come close on two occasions after winning the World Cup in 1983. In 1987 and 1996 we were beaten in the semi-finals. People consider that we are a side capable of winning,” he said. Admitting that his team was under tremendous pressure to do well in the tournament, Ganguly said, “There are similar pressure on countries such as South Africa and Australia where cricket is a passion.” Describing the New Zealand tour as a “good wake-up call”, Ganguly said his team was determined to put up a good show in the World Cup. “The boys are keen to put their heads down and work together to do well in the World Cup. “We need to play as a unit, and everyone needs to perform. Our poor performance in New Zealand has been a good wake-up call,” he said. A number of supporters and officials of the Indian consul as also chairman of World Cup organising committee Ali Bacher were present at the airport to receive the team at the Johannesburg airport this morning. From Johannesburg, the team drove down to Durban where they will be based till the start of the tournament on February 8. The team will play two warm-up games against Kwa-Zulu Natal on February 4 and 6 in Durban. “A lot of people say we are in a tough group but it all depends on what happens on a particular day. “Anyone can win the tournament,” he said.
“The dispute over the sponsorship issue is now past and we are here to concentrate on playing cricket,” he said. The Indian captain said unlike some other teams, his side had no reservations about playing in Zimbabwe. “We played there two years ago, and we were very well looked after,” he said referring to India’s 2001 tour of Zimbabwe.
“I believe, he will become the second greatest batsman of all time, second only to Sir Donald Bradman,” he said.
PTI |
|
Pakistan
may be surprise package of This team can ride the crest of the waves one day and crash on its backside the next. Its players can don the mantle of kings one day and paupers the next, making their fans swing from wild ecstasy to agony. Few teams are as mercurial as Pakistan but, to my mind, it will be the surprise package in the ensuing World Cup. What has been striking about Pakistan teams over the years - and Waqar Younis’ team is no exception - is that they have the tenacity, the mental ability and the temperament to play superbly even when their backs are up against the wall. Come the big occasion, the Pakistan team goes all out, leaving itself no time to sustain the squabbles and bickering which dominate the side otherwise. On occasions like these, Pakistan sets its parish pump politics aside and picks the best possible team. The side that has been chosen for the African safari is most balanced, straddling experience and youth. He who wants a full farm must have an old cock and a young bull. This Pakistan team has the right personnel to fire on all cylinders. It has a strong backbone in the form of allrounders of quality in Abdur Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood and, not the least, Wasim Akram. They are like spare tyres and can fit anywhere in the side. The bowling is not only experienced but also loaded with variety with the blinding genius of Akram as the pivot around which the attack revolves. On the flip side, Pakistan’s problem can be its batting. It is a plague which has afflicted all sub-continental teams when they are faced with some lateral movement off the track, let alone in the air.
Inzamam-ul-Haq and Syed Anwar, who has been recalled to lead the batting, have the responsibility of giving their world class bowling enough runs to defend. One of Pakistan’s biggest strengths is its killer-instinct. For its players, each match is cricket’s version of Jehad. In my own experience, Pakistan has been among the toughest opposition, ceding not an inch to its rivals. So where does this killer-instinct come from? Even if the cultures of the two nations are largely similar, Pakistan does not have to contend with India’s diversities. More than anything else, the killer-instinct stems from the culture of retribution that dominates the psyche of the Pakistan fan. The backlash that the fan is capable of providing the cricketers puts the fear of the devil in the hearts of the Pakistan cricketer. It drives its team to unity and the cricketers play out of their skins to save themselves. When the Pakistan team does not perform to potential, players delay their return home in waiting for the situation to quieten down a bit. I remember the Pakistan team had to divert its flight to Karachi back in March 1996 to avoid rampaging fans in Lahore where Wasim Akram’s home was subject to stone-pelting after the team was beaten by India in the quarterfinals in Bangalore. The Pakistan fans don’t spare their heroes. This attitude contrasts directly with the manner in which India has reacted to its team being beaten 2-5 in New Zealand. The players are still adored and loved. Faith doesn’t quite diminish here but in Pakistan, it is directly proportional to the team’s performance. Talk of India and Pakistan brings to fore the politically volatile but mouth-watering clash - the mother of all battles in the preliminary league, a marketing manager’s dream - between the two sides on March 1 to the fore. It is a pity that the politically volatile scene infiltrates cricket and makes contests of this magnitude and excitement a rarity. Two cricket crazy nations have been starved of the best clash for a while. The meeting in the World Cup makes me wonder why the two teams cannot play often - imagine the megabucks that the two nations can rake! It is my belief that cricket can help bridge the gap between the two nations and act as a balm for easing the pain. If such meetings are rare, it is natural that these games acquire overtones that are best not desired. People make it a personal encounter. Right from a bellboy to a man in Parliament, none wants India to lose to Pakistan. Such pent up feelings perhaps reflect the political scenario. Under the present circumstances, March 1 will just be War Minus the Shooting.
|
|
Seamers’ Cup?
New Delhi, January 29 And it
won't be a surprise if the likes of Akram, McGrath and Akhtar return with rich harvests from their South African campaign. Wasim Akram of Pakistan has been on top of the table for years. He took to big league just as a fish takes to water and ever since he made his debut in 1985 against New Zealand, he has tricked many reputed batsmen with his deceptive variation of pace and swinging yorkers. Akram, for whom it will be the last World Cup, leads the pack of most wicket takers in World Cups so far with 43 wickets off 277 overs in 32 matches. His best figures are four for 32. Akram, who is also the leading wicket-taker in one-dayers with 490 scalps, also holds the dubious record for the most number of ducks in World Cups- 22. Allan Donald of South Africa is behind Akram with 37 wickets. Kapil Dev (26 matches) and Javagal Srinath (23 matches) with 28 wickets each are lying in joint eighth spot as far as World Cup performance goes. Australian Gary Gilmour was the first to hit the World Cup headlines being hailed as “Gary Glitter” with his haul of six for 14 at Leeds in the semifinals versus England in the inaugural edition in 1975. Victory seemed to be a formality with Gilmour around. Swinging the ball prodigiously, he soon had England reeling at 37 for seven after being put in by the Aussies. They recovered slightly before finishing at 93 in 36.2 overs, which still remains as the lowest innings total by England in one-day games, including World Cup and also against Australia so far. The West Indies’ Winston Davis then took centrestage and emerged the most wicket taker in an innings in World Cup history, a record which stands till today. Davis’s record has been standing for 20 years now but going by the present lot of international bowlers in the world, there is an opportunity for each one of them to re-write Davis’s feat in the eighth edition of the World Cup, which gets underway on February 9.
PTI |
|
1999 semis debacle still haunts South Africa
Cape Town, January 29 No matter what the history books record, however, South Africa will still be under enormous pressure to win the trophy for the first time. Memories in the republic are short and extend little further back than Edgbaston in 1999, when South Africa tied with Australia after a farcical mix-up between last-pair Lance Klusener and Allan Donald cost them a place in the final. No South African — fan or player — has ever tried to hide the desire to avenge a moment still painfully seared into South African cricket’s collective conscience. There is certainly plenty of raw talent in the side — they have just crushed Pakistan and Sri Lanka in one-day series to prove the point — but it is as much in the mind that South Africa’s players will be tested. Along with the burden of expectation comes an anxiety to prove that world champions Australia are not their nemesis. Defiance will be offered largely in the shape of the square blade and cussed aggression of the world’s best all rounder, Jacques Kallis, who is at the heart of a strong core of regulars in the South African line-up. Kallis has become as dependable and indispensable as the proverbial wheel for his side, and would try to win the tournament single-handed if possible. Only Australia’s Glenn McGrath, meanwhile, can match Shaun Pollock for probing containment with the new ball and the South African captain’s batting has also grown in authority since the last World Cup. Fellow fast bowler Makhaya Ntini may be short of the finished article but he has developed into a genuine strike partner for Pollock. Opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs is another trump card for South Africa and has begun to deliver on the promise that marked him out as one of the most gifted young players in the world. South Africa will rely heavily on his ability to give the innings an injection of pace from the start, allowing all rounders such as Pollock, Nicky Boje and Klusener to capitalise lower down the order. ‘Attitude’, in contrasting forms, will be epitomised by Jonty Rhodes and Mark Boucher. Supreme fielder Rhodes will be at his fourth and final World Cup. South Africa have so often in the past danced to his inspirational tune and his leadership from backward point will once again set the tone. Wicketkeeper Boucher offers motivation of a different kind and is the one player in the South African team capable of matching the snarling, confrontational approach often adopted by the Australians. For South Africa, the World Cup will not just be about beating Australia. It will also offer an opportunity for the African nation to unite behind a team that is broadly representative of the whole country. The United Cricket Board (UCB) publicly committed itself to selecting five non-white players in South Africa’s final squad of 15. The last stages of selection will certainly have caused much head-shaking and hand-wringing around the country but the players themselves have been assured by board chief executive Gerald Majola that only the best 11 will take the field. To win the World Cup, South Africa will almost certainly need to beat Australia — and perhaps more than once. Victory for the host nation in the tournament final at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on March 23 would mean a great deal more than just the glory earned by the champions. It would be a demonstration to the nation and to the world that change can be embraced by South Africa, without compromising the quest for success. However the journey has to be taken over a long and difficult road.
Reuters |
|
Gibbs determined as never before
Cape Town, January 29 A cavalier showman prone to moments of rash exuberance, Gibbs, who will turn 29 during the tournament, is a fixture at the top of the South African order, where he will form an imposing partnership with veteran left-hander Gary Kirsten. In all likelihood, the World Cup will be the last time the pair appear together in the one-day arena. The omens are good, too. In his final two competitive matches before the tournament, Gibbs was in stunning form. In the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands in early January, Gibbs struck a blistering double century — the second fastest of all time in terms of balls faced — to help South Africa to a 10-wicket win and a 2-0 series victory. It may have been a Test match but Gibbs’s strokeplay was more akin to the first 15 overs of a one-day international as the right-hander collected 29 fours and six sixes. Two weeks later Gibbs returned to his home ground to lead his provincial side Western Province to the domestic one-day title. Chasing 126 for victory, Gibbs ensured a crushing victory with an unbeaten 67 from 44 deliveries, finishing the match with a six followed by a four. A brilliant fielder too, if he has a weakness it is psychological. No-one has exposed that more obviously and ruthlessly than the Australians and Gibbs has struggled against the world champions. He will also be desperate to erase memories of the infamous moment in the last World Cup when he dropped Steve Waugh as he prematurely celebrated taking the routine catch. The Australian captain went on to make a match-winning century. His reputation for waywardness off the field is also something Gibbs would like to discard. Gibbs was one of two South African players banned for six months in 2000 after admitting to the King Commission of Inquiry into match-fixing that he had accepted an offer from then captain Hansie Cronje to under-perform in a one-day international. He was also disciplined on the tour of the West Indies in 2001 when he was one of five South African tour party members who admitted smoking marijuana after the Test series was sealed with victory in Antigua. But Gibbs now has a firmer grasp of his own enormous talent as well as his responsibilities. It all amounts to a cricketer determined as never before to do himself justice. “We know what this season is building up towards — the dream of getting our hands on the World Cup and sharing it with the whole country,” Gibbs said. “We’re not distracted by the dream, we’re focused on it.” Reuters
|
|
Jury still out on Brian Lara Trinidad, January 29 In 203 one-day internationals, Lara averages 42.64 with 15 centuries. His strike rate is a point below 80, demonstrating that he scores quickly as well as prolifically. Lara’s test average of 49.49 is fractionally below 50, the accepted benchmark of a great player.
Reuters
|
|
|
|
|
|
Azhar likely to file review petition
Hyderabad, January 29 “We will file a review petition. It’s one option,” Azhar’s lawyer K Jagdesh told PTI today when asked the future course of action following a city court turning down Azhar’s plea to appoint an arbitrator. Second additional Chief Judge M Vijayalakshmi yesterday dismissed Azhar’s aplication praying to refer BCCI’s life ban on him to an arbitrator as was done for Jadeja. Azhar’s lawyer claimed he did not receive a copy of the judgement and said “a decsion would be taken after we go through the full text.”
PTI
|
|
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Chennai, Januarr 29 Mahindra, looking desperately for a win, shot into the lead in the very first minute when Damasio beat bank custodian Felix Edward hands down with a beautiful header as R.P. Singh fed him with a high ball on the left flank. Damasio struck again in the last minute tapping the ball in at the goal mouth as medio James Singh floated the ball to him from the left corner. Bangalore: Asserting their supremacy again, title favourites East Bengal crushed ITI 3-1 in the seventh National Football League here today and continue to head the table. With this win, the Kolkata team have amassed 24 points from 10 matches, while ITI are still at the bottom of the table with just three points. Though ITI managed occasional forays and actually succeeded in one of them after changing ends, it was East Bengal who called the shots. They could have won by a bigger margin but for a few narrow misses at the ITI citadel.
Moreover, ITI were on the defensive, especially in the first half, frustrating the designs of the visitors. East Bengal shot into the lead in the 17th minute when Shasty Duley scored from a Alvito d’Cunha’s pass. They should have struck again, but the powerful kick from Mike Okoro hit the cross piece and rebounded into play. Suley Musah who had earlier fed the pass to Okoro attempted a direct kick, but the ball deflected off the left post. Another good move by D’Cunha in the 35th minute saw Suley Musah succeeding in putting the Kolkata team up 2-0. Crossing over, ITI reduced the margin in the 61st minute when Ibrahim Karim Alhassan, their striker from Ghana, made no mistake in shooting home a pass from Raghuvir Singh. However, a solo effort by Mike Okoro in the 82nd minute, in which he outsmarted defender Rupesh and custodian Balaji, shot home the final nail in the ITI coffin. Vasco win Margao: A solitary goal by Brazilian striker Rui Wanderely Weis in the second half was enough for the formidable Vasco Sports Club to get the better of Kolkata’s Tollygunge Agragami and earn full points in the tenth round of the National football league today. After a barren first half, the all important goal came in the 49th minute, when Rui after collecting a pass from Ristan Rodriques beat the rival goalkeeper Arindam
Ghosh and tapped the ball into the net, which ultimately turned out to be the match winner.
UNI
|
|
Patiala
stadium to be named after Bhalendra Singh New Delhi, January 29 Bhalendra Singh’s contribution to Indian sports is a well-chronicled saga. But so far no agency, neither the Union Government nor the Punjab Government, had thought it fit to name a stadium after this legendary figure of Indian sports, who had the unique distinction of being an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member from India for over four decades, in addition to adorning various top posts in Asian and other sports bodies. Most of the stadiums in the country are named after politicians, particularly in Delhi, where the apex body of Indian sports — the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) — is based. Raja Bhalendra Singh was the president of the IOA for a number of years. But after his death, though the Amateur Athletic Federation of India instituted a trophy in his memory, no other befitting gesture was made to perpetuate his honour. When this anomaly was brought to the notice of Mr Boparai, a Kirti Chakra and Padma Shri award winner, by former Olympian athlete Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, the Punjabi University VC immediately agreed to dedicate the Patiala stadium to Raja Bhalendra Singh. The dedication ceremony will be held on February 26, which will be presided over by Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. The salient feature of the Patiala stadium is a top class cycling velodrome. Interestingly, Patiala is considered as the nursery of cycling in the country, as it has produced a number of cycling champions. Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, who is the sports adviser to Mr Boparai, said several international sportspersons and administrators had hailed the decision to dedicate the Patiala stadium to the late Bhalendra Singh. Bhalendra Singh’s son, Raja Randhir Singh, was recently re-elected as the secretary-general of the Olympic Council of Asia for a fourth consecutive four-year term. |
|
Jora Singh wins 13th gold in national yoga Chandigarh, January 29 He said Deepak Bhardwaj of Yamunanagar retained the crown winning fourth successive gold in the junior boys category. Hosts West Bengal won the overall championship as the Bengal girls made a clean sweep of sub-junior and junior categories. Haryana clinched three gold, two silver and two bronze medals to finish second. Haryana girls team suffered a setback as foggy weather hurdled their train to reach at Kolkata 21-hour late, which disturbed the schedule of the competition as well as the performance of the players. However, the late teams were allowed to participate but their performance was not counted in the medal tally as per the rules of the Federation. The results of Haryana team
are:- Junior age group — Deepak Bhardwaj (Gold) Yamunanagar, Pratik Arya (Silver) Faridabad, Senior age group — Vikas (Bronze) Rohtak, (Elderly Men) — Dev Raj (Bronze), Faridabad, (Veteran Men 40-50) Jora Singh (Gold) Jind, (Veteran Men above 50 years) — Rati Ram (Gold) Jhajjar, and Budh Singh (Silver) Faridabad.
|
|
Delhi, Haryana boxers excel Kolkata, January 29 Delhi and Manipur were having a tie with three gold medals each in different weight categories bouts from 12 to 16 years, but lanky Pratap Singh’s left-right punches against Jharkhand’s Jhonson Decruz in A-9 category earned Manipur one more gold in the final bout to regain title after a gap of one year. Manipur had total four gold, two silver and a bronze medals followed by Delhi with three gold and a silver medals and earned valuable 34 points to become runners-up, ahead of Haryana (three golds). Manipur had lost the team title last year to Steel Sports Control Board.
UNI |
|
Sangrur
athletics Sangrur, January 29 Boys U-16, 800: I. Ram Bhagat (Sunam), 2. Malkiat Singh (Sang) 2000M Jivan Singh (Sunam), 2 Bablu Singh (Sunam).100-m I Amandeep Singh (Sunam) 2. Jujhar Singh (Sunam). High Jump I Temple Singh (Sang), 2 Jasbir Singh (Dhuri).200 m-1) Jujhar Singh (Sunam), 2 Varinder Singh (Sang) Boys U 18-800M-I Rahul (Sang) Gurpreet Singh (Sunam) 1500 m I Harmit Singh (Sunam) 2. Davinder Singh (Sunam) 100 m, 1 Vir Singh (Sunam), 2 Raj Singh (Sang). 400 m -I, Kuldip Singh (Sunam), 2 Rahul Gupta (Sang) 200 M-I Gupta (Sang), 2 Gurpreet Singh (Sunam) Shot Put, Harinder Pal Singh (Sang), 2 Gurpreet Singh Boys U-20:400m: 1. Jaswinder Singh (Sang), 2. Harvinder Singh (Sunam) 200 m: 1 Kanwaljit Singh (Sunam) 2 Manpreet Singh Girls U-16 800m: 1 Rajvir Kaur (Sunam), 2 Baljit (Sunam) 100 m: I Manju Rani (Sunam), 2 Manisha Garg (Sunam) 400m: 1 Baljit Kaur (Sunam), 2 Jyoti Josh (Sunam)200 m: 1 Rajbir (Sunam), 2 Baljit Kaur (Sunam) Discuss throw: 1 Ramandeep (Sang), 2 Paramvir (Barnala) Girls U-18: 400 m: 1 Kajal Garg (Sunam), 2 Manisha (Lehra 200 m: 1 Manisha (Sunam), 2 Sandeep (Lehra) |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 122 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Durban, January 29
In
video(
