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Monday,
March 10, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Sachin, Murali set to resume battle
Jayasuriya
optimistic Jayawardene ‘must end’ drought
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Big game for India, Sri Lanka
India have Tendulkar,
so they can do it
I have made no decision on my future yet
Aussies keen to avoid Kiwis in semifinals Aussie reputation intimidating rivals? Campbell set for recall
Leko stuns Anand Fine comeback by PSEB Policy for physically challenged
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Sachin, Murali set to resume battle
Johannesburg, March 9 Muralitharan, rated as the world’s best-ever bowler by Wisden, admitted that it was very difficult to bowl spin against the Indian batsmen, particularly Tendulkar. “He is the greatest batsman of our times and I feel he would have an answer to my tricks,” Muralitharan said about Tendulkar. “He’s an exceptionally good player of spin and reads the ball very early. It’s a very big challenge to bowl to him. You just cannot fox him. “But it’s a contest I am looking forward to,” he said. Tendulkar has not faced Muralitharan for the last three years and the Sri Lankan was hoping this would work to his advantage. “I am a vastly improved bowler from what I was three years ago. I hope it proves enough for the Indians,” he said but added it would not be easy. “I have had my moments against them but their batsmen are formidable and have also often come on top against me,” Muralitharan said. Murali has strengthened his already deadly repertoire by developing the ‘wrong-un’ which he bowls without any discernible change in action. There is neither an extra loop, nor does he come any nearer to the stumps while bowling. “I have worked hard on it in the nets and am now comfortable enough to bowl it in the middle,” Muralitharan said. “I haven’t played against Indians much in the last three years and hope this new trick comes handy tomorrow.” Murali would be kept on his toes not only by the Indian batsmen but also Harbhajan Singh, who has built a tremendous reputation for himself in the last couple of years. “He has done well for himself and I rate him high,” said Muralitharan. “(But) There is no contest as such between us. We would be trying to do our best for our respective teams.” Muralitharan has been in decent form in this World Cup without being quite at his destructive best. His 13 wickets from seven games at 17.07 at a good economy rate of 3.65 is better than any Indian bowler. Though he has bowled well, Muralitharan has not been able to extract his monstrous spin on these South African wickets. “The wickets have generally not been helpful to spin. There has only been little spin but that’s expected. I don’t expect the Wanderers to behave any differently,” he said. PTI
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Jayasuriya optimistic
Johannesburg, March 9 “I give myself 75 per cent chance of making it tomorrow. I still have a painful thumb and there is still swelling in the forearm. But I would be required by Sri Lanka so let’s see,” said Jayasuriya, his left hand strapped in a crepe bandage. “I didn’t bowl at nets today as I want to give it enough time to recover. We would have to see how it goes.” Sri Lanka, who are in a must-win situation after their loss to Australia in the first Super Six game, badly need their skipper to turn things around. Jayasuriya said the key to beating India would be for his bowlers to provide early breakthroughs. “We would need early wickets as India’s top batsmen come early. If we can do it, we can work on the younger lot,” he said. “We have some class bowlers, especially Chaminda (Vaas) and (Muttiah) Muralitharan and if they could chip in with early wickets, it would make our task easier.” Jayasuriya was aware of the threat from Sachin Tendulkar but reposed his faith in champion off-spinner Muralitharan. “Tendulkar is in good form and so is Murali so it would be a good contest though I back Murali to come good against anyone,” said Jayasuriya. Jayasuriya also appreciated the efforts of Yuvraj Singh who has played a couple of match-winning knocks for India in this tournament. “Yuvraj has really impressed with his big-hitting in this tournament. He is providing finishes in most of the games and we need to mark him well. “The thing is, our bowlers need to keep it as tight as possible to deny Indians a big score,” Jayasuriya said. The Sri Lankan captain admitted the form of middle-order batsman Mahela Jayawardene was a cause of concern. “Mahela has been going through a bad patch but then everyone goes through it. I myself was in poor form against Australia a few months ago but since then I have been scoring well. Same applies for Mahela but he has to come good soon.” PTI
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Jayawardene ‘must end’ drought Johannesburg, March 9 Whatmore said that he and his coaching staff had worked hard on the problem but the key lay within the player. “He has to come out of it himself,’’ Whatmore told reporters as he reflected on Sri Lanka’s 96-run loss to the world champions. “We have been giving him as much help as we can and he has batted in every net session. “He is more disappointed than anyone else but that is the way it goes sometimes. He is a special player and his contribution has been sadly missed.’’ Sri Lanka play India at The Wanderers tomorrow. Whatmore said that Jayawardene, averaging more than 47 in tests and more than 30 in his 138 one-day internationals, was handling the situation well. “His confidence is pretty low but he’s a realist, he’s not emotional about something like that. “Nevertheless, you sometimes wonder where the next run is coming from, although every batsman goes through that patch.’’ Sri Lanka could drop Jayawardene against India, with batsmen Jehan Mubarak and Avishka Gunawardene in reserve. If captain Sanath Jayasuriya, however, fails to recover from a bruised left forearm and chipped thumb bone suffered against Australia, Sri Lanka’s selectors may prefer to retain Jayawardene rather than bring in two new batsmen. New Zealand’s win against Zimbabwe in Bloemfontein on Saturday pushed Sri Lanka out of the top four in the Super Six table — Australia have 16 points, India 12, Kenya 10 and New Zealand eight to the Sri Lankan’s 7.5. The Sri Lankans’ last second-phase game is against Zimbabwe. Sri Lanka team physiotherapist Alex Kountouri is cautiously optimistic about Jayasuriya. “The bone in his forearm is bruised and as the muscle is attached to the bone it would be hard for him to hold the bat but he is feeling better,’’ he said. “The treatment has been a case of going overboard with ice to get the swelling down but if the game had been today (Saturday) he could not have played. “Picking up the bat at practice on Sunday will be the test for him and until he does that, or tries to bowl with his thumb, we won’t know how he is. Reuters
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Big game for India, Sri Lanka Andy Flower made no secret of the fact that there was sense of hollowness as his team entered the super six stage without beating any big teams. But on Saturday, Zimbabwe probably had the best chance of getting that feeling out of their minds. Putting up a total of 252 against a quality Kiwi attack, especially after being reduced to tatters in the middle overs and their batting mainstays deposited safely in the dressing room, Zimbabwe showed some spirited efforts to enter that zone of comfort. And leading from the front was skipper Heath Streak with a commendable 72 and supported by a blistering 31 from Ervine coming down at number nine in the batting card. Unfortunately, Streak couldn’t raise his level in the bowling department and Zimbabwe had to go down fighting against a battling Kiwis. Zimbabwe has been one side which has showed immense potential in its players but the problem for them has been the inability of clicking together as an unit. We all know what Grant and Andy Flower are, Andy Blignaut also registered his presence in the tournament while Wishart showed he is another clean hitter of the ball. Streak and Taibu also have given good account of themselves but call it bad luck or internal problems, the potential of all these players are still to be converged into one winning performance. India meanwhile, take on Sri Lanka today and this will be a big game for both sides. India will be keen to continue their winning streak and seal a berth in the semi-final for sure while on the other side Lankans will be looking forward to get back on track after the Aussie disaster. Both teams have been on even kneel in their latest meetings and to see some of the leading run scorers in action together will be no less than entertaining. Then, of course we have Muralitharan and Harbhajan looking to assert their supremacy in the off-spin section which will be another sub-plot to this duel between sub-continent giants. Yuvraj has been the backbone of two Indian victories now and it will be interesting to see how he copes up with Murali. The last time they met, Yuvraj was the one to go back with heads bowed down but recent form guide suggest a reversal in results on Monday. Also Sachin would be keen to rub it on Vaas, who would still have uneasy thoughts in his mind after the mauling he received from Ponting. Jayasuriya, who has been the forerunner for the 1996 champions, will draw another major influence on the result and so will Dravid and De Silva. In fact, I would rate De Silva as more threatening from India’s point of view than even Murali or Jayasuriya. However, the Indian bowling is definitely more strong than the Lankans and this could turn out to be the crucial difference between the two sides. Murali has been playing more on reputation rather than feats achieved in this tournament even as Chaminda Vaas, the Ponting episode not withstanding, has been struggling for a decent strike partner. John Wright, however, has no such problems with Nehra, Srinath and Zaheer bowling well. It’s going to be a hard game of cricket at Johannesburg and I expect it to be a close affair with India just managing to pull it off if I go in tandem with my heart and team’s form in the tournament so far.
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India have Tendulkar, so they can do it
London, March 9 “There is conclusive reason for fancying India to harry Ricky Ponting’s Aussies — Sachin Tendulkar,” said ‘The Independent’ today. “It would be the crowning moment of a magisterial career if Tendulkar’s runs could help India into the final and give them victory.” In a column in ‘The Sunday Times’, former Australian skipper Steve Waugh also felt that Tendulkar can lead India to their second World Cup triumph. “India are on an upward trend, and, to me, on course for a final showdown with Australia. They have a chance to win their second World Cup because of Sachin Tendulkar’s form and that of their quick bowlers,” Waugh wrote. “It’s about peaking at the right time, and with the semifinal and final, it takes only two quality efforts to be victorious. “India are capable of chasing any total, and if they can harness the goodwill from the colossal support they receive, then anything is possible,” Waugh wrote. In another article in ‘The Sunday Times’, Simon Wilde described Tendulkar as the ‘Kohinoor diamond’ and said India’s chances depended largely on him. “Given that India’s attack is a toothless tiger on a good pitch, its theoretical success rests on Tendulkar playing a brilliant innings of the kind he summoned for Pakistan’s benefit last weekend. “He does have it in him to bat in a manner that can leave any bowler running for cover, and has played as well in this tournament as ever in his life, even if he did unexpectedly fail against Kenya on Friday to plunge all of India towards a collective nervous breakdown.” ‘The Independent’ said India were playing with a lot of purpose and there were reasons to believe that the masses of the subcontinent will soon have the “team their devotion merits”. “India are also gaining a merciless streak, which tends to be a key factor in successful modern sides. They have always played attractively but now they play purposefully too,” the paper said. “They are less prone to crumble, as English spectators should know,” it said referring to India’s triumph over England while chasing 325 in the NatWest Trophy final at the Lord’s last year. “It showed them something, it showed everyone else something. They are nobody’s patsies.” PTI
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Yuvraj Singh — a Bevan in the making The odds were stacked against India. The lights were on at Newlands, the ball was wobbling and the crowd was behind the underdogs Kenya. The new ball had had two famous victims in Sehwag and Sachin. The recipe for a disaster was boiling in the pot. It is in such situations that the Indian cricket team gets to see the batting heroes who are otherwise not so much in the forefront. Yes, Yuvraj Singh won the match for India, his 58 off 64 balls being decisive to the extent of making everything look almost too easy at the end. Just check the record book. Of the 12 half centuries that Yuvraj has made for India, only two have been in vain. That is a very high success per cent and it puts Yuvraj in the Michael Bevan class of match-winner. He defied an asking rate that had climbed above six an over and in the process he passed the litmus test of character on Friday night. India would not have got there without the crafty knock from Saurav Ganguly. His century was the cornerstone of a chase that could so easily have gone wrong at the worst possible time in a World Cup. This century was absolute top-drawer stuff that put in the shade the earlier record-book century against Namibia. The conclusion is, however, inescapable, that Yuvraj played the kind of one-day innings at the death that decides matches in favour of the chasers. They have said in the past that his attitude is wrong, that on arrival in international cricket he lorded over the dressing room as if he was already a fixture there. By virtue of his temperament, Yuvraj may have been ill-prepared for facing the ups and downs of a batsman in the international game. His attitude may really have helped in the end. He is not one of those modest seekers of cricketing fortune who squirrels away the stuff in good times before the bad ones hit. Yuvraj has always wanted it all. Such an approach does help one face up to such huge demands as a climbing asking rate. Never mind if his front foot driving style generally gets him into trouble because the left-hander’s swing brings the bat down in a certain arc that may send the ball in the air around point and cover. “I think Yuvraj played a blinder,” acknowledged his skipper. Yuvraj also once received his captain’s withering look when, on having refused a second run, Ganguly saw a member of his troupe display the crude emotion of anger on the field. “Cool it, boy,” the skipper may well have said. Their bear hug at the finish was testimony to the elation they must have felt on having steered the ship safely home. Things could so easily have gone wrong thanks to the profligacy of the opening bowlers who bowled as if the batsmen facing them had no business to be in this ball park and the charitable ways of the fielders. It takes very little for the Indians to go off the boil. They are always better off on the big occasion, playing the big teams in do-or-die situations. Facing an underdog is not something the Indians do with the commitment of the Australians, who like to knock the block off anybody who tries to defy them in a World Cup. That amidst such a collective mindset, there is a cricketer like Yuvraj, who is ever willing to take on the challenge of the chase with an attitude closer to that of an army general on the war front, should be considered India’s good fortune. Having had his baptism by fire on debut against Australia in a knock-out match three years ago, must have helped too. His rare talent — he fields with gusto at a position made famous by Jonty Rhodes and bowls when his back is not troubling him — is not to be judged on everyday figures that the everyday game of the one-day internationals bring. Yuvraj likes to make runs under pressure, in which he finds motivation. Yuvraj Singh’s 42 off 38 balls against England did not fetch him a match award. His 50 off 53 balls against Pakistan had been overshadowed by Sachin Tendulkar’s brilliance at the top of the order. String his 58 not out off 64 balls to those figures and here is a batsman who has made 150 runs at a strike rate of 97 runs per 100 balls in three major games. It is fashionable to pay reverence to the finishing prowess of a Bevan. Here we have a desi Bevan with as good a record at the finish without quite enjoying his average yet. But then Bevan does not have to bat behind runmakers of the calibre of Sachin and Saurav and so may get more opportunities. Let us pay a tribute to a potentially great one-day batsman who wins matches for India. He also bats in the manner of a lord and is elegance personified when he is driving them on the rise past cover off the back foot. How many elegant finishers are in this game?
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FACE TO FACE CAPE TOWN: Sandip Patil and Saurav Ganguly are not the best of friends. Ganguly resumed his international career on the tour to England in 1996 when Patil was the coach. He also was part of Patil’s ‘96 team which toured Toronto for India-Pakistan Sahara Cup. Things happened on those two tours which rankled Ganguly for a long time. Ganguly, despite being a newcomer, was tried at the No. 3 spot in his first Test at Lord’s. The Bengal left-hander responded to the challenge by smashing two successive Test centuries. Still Patil was not convinced of his ability to make it big in one-day cricket. Thus when the team went to Toronto in ’96, Ganguly was not picked in three of the five games. Patil then was flooded by phone calls from Kolkata which ranged from downright abusive to death threats and not a single one was complimentary. Ganguly thus was understandably cool in Kenya when he took his team for the ICC knock-out tournament in 2000. He hardly exchanged any words with Patil in a tournament in which India reached finals. Indeed he once made Patil wait for at least an hour in the hotel lobby before responding to his call. Things took turn for the better in Mumbai three years ago when Patil approached Ganguly during a cricket function and offered a semi-apology. You were right and I was wrong-or words to the same effect — said Patil to Ganguly as pleasantries were finally exchanged. Now the two were face to face against each other at Newlands during a Super Six clash between Kenya and India. Patil told everyone how he had been calling up Ganguly whenever India was winning a match in the 2003 World Cup. He also said he might have made a mistake in judging Ganguly’s talent during those stormy months of ’96. “I must say in all honesty I thought Vinod Kambli was a better one-day prospect than Ganguly in Toronto in 1996. One must remember nobody had thought Ganguly could have come good as an opener in one-day format. He was a middle-order batsman and we all thought Kambli had more dash than him. It wasn’t a case of me promoting Kambli because we both belonged to Mumbai.” “Now everyone knows how Ganguly has come good. He is world’s outstanding one-day cricketer and his record speaks for himself. I must say he has proven me wrong.” No wonder, Ganguly batted with an extra dash against Kenya and at a critical stage, smashed a hundred to put the minnows in their place. A clever Patil had nearly put the Indians on the mat before Ganguly arrived and India soared. Ganguly on his part doesn’t want to rake up old issues. He privately confides he has respect for Patil as his former coach and a senior cricketer. In any case, the Indian captain has his plate full with scraps he has picked with senior cricketers. Patil, at the moment, is far and away but
be woe the moment he decides to throw his hat in the ring as an Indian coach. If Ganguly is still the captain, then all hell would break loose. |
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I have made no decision on my future yet Whatever has appeared in the press about my decision to continue playing is a figment of some reporter’s imagination. Leave alone speaking to the press, I have not stepped out of my house since I’ve got back. My future is what I’m thinking about, but I am yet to arrive at any decision, one way or the other. My wife Huma says I will have to take the call while my father is in favour of me quitting. I would like to take some more time before making this extremely life-altering decision. Also, I would like to quash rumours that I am gunning for captaincy. Captaining Pakistan is not an easy job, and nobody knows that better than I do. Richard Pybus will make way for a new coach, but he did a great job for Pakistan. He always did his homework well and tried his level best to rev up the players when the going got tough. I don’t blame him for feeling frustrated that the results did not match his input. Also, we were not the easiest bunch to train. As professionals who are paid to play, we should always be happy to train and reach the nets on time. But Pybus would have to literally wake up some of the boys and force them to practice. I think he needs a break from Pakistan cricket after this World Cup. The youngsters in the Pakistan team are a shy lot. It may have something to do with their inability to speak English well, but they never go out of their way to speak to seniors in other teams. When I was a youngster, I used to ask Kapil Dev, Malcolm Marshall and Sir Richard Hadlee for tips all the time. Seniors in every team are only too eager to pass on what they have learnt. We must inculcate this curiosity, and the confidence to speak to outsiders in the Pakistan youngsters. Otherwise, their vision will be blinkered, and they will not grow with exposure like young players in other teams. The World Cup continues in full steam back in South Africa. I will watch the India-Sri Lanka game with interest, as there will be three members of the left-arm pace bowlers’ club on view. Chaminda Vaas has emerged as a top one-day bowler who has enjoyed the conditions in South Africa so far. He has been under the shadow of Muthiah Muralitharan for long, and it’s nice to see him finally get some credit for what he is doing. The Indian left-arm bowlers are the ones who will shine in the future for India. Both have a lot of potential, and are hard-working, willing learners. Zaheer has been impressive right through the tournament, and he goes about his bowling with plenty of thought. I have seen that he runs in slower and focuses on getting his line and length right in his first over. It’s only after that that he comes in and bowls as fast as he can. Ashish Nehra would do well to follow the same method. Nehra is inaccurate sometimes because he starts attacking from the first ball, even before he gets his line right. I would advise him to spend the first over focusing on accuracy, and then start running in quickly to get that extra pace. Pakistan have a young exciting bowler called Faisal Afridi who is fast and accurate. He also can score some runs lower down the order, and must be groomed from now on to match Zaheer and Nehra in the future. Against Sri Lanka, the first 15 overs of their batting is crucial, because if they start well they can go after or set any total. Sanath Jayasuriya is a doubtful starter tomorrow, and that will be a big bonus for India. Anyway India are on a high after their victory over Pakistan, and look like a side that believes in itself. It promises to be a tight game, but India have the upper hand.
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Aussies keen to avoid Kiwis in semifinals
Port Elizabeth, March 9 New Zealand are their next target.
Following a six-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the Super Six, New Zealand will face an unbeaten Australia on March 11 and then India on Friday at the Centurion. One win from its next two matches will allow New Zealand to finish fourth, and possibly book a semifinal play-off against table-topping Australians, back at Port Elizabeth. That’s what the Australians want to avoid. Australia played badly against England in a Group A match here and won, and Ricky Ponting’s side is aware the danger its Trans-Tasman neighbour poses to its title aspirations. The pitch at St. George’s Park would suit the Kiwi medium paceman more than the Australian pace attack, and Ponting’s men might not be as lucky as they were against England. Also, a win over New Zealand on Tuesday will allow the Australians to equal a record nine consecutive World Cup wins by Clive Lloyd’s side between 1975 and 1979. Ponting’s side already holds the record for the most consecutive wins in all limited-overs competition - 13 games. It is also unbeaten in 14 consecutive World Cup matches, although that includes the tied semifinal against South Africa in 1999. Vice-captain Adam Gilchrist said avoiding New Zealand has been discussed at length. “I’m sure those conditions will suit their type of bowling,” Gilchrist acknowledged. “That comes into play later on for the semis. There’s no hiding there are certain teams in the wash-up at the moment you’d prefer to play, given their records.” Gilchrist was thinking of possibly playing either Kenya or Sri Lanka in the semifinal. It looks in all probability that India will finish second in the Super Six, thus avoiding a semifinal clash against Australia. Australia hammered Sourav Ganguly’s side by nine wickets when the two met at Centurion early in Group A, but the Indians haven’t lost since.“That’s part of it now. You’ve got to realise that,” Gilchrist said. “We want to finish top of the whole thing, but even that’s not a major issue. It’s more monitoring how we’re going.” Gilchrist said ousting title-contenders early had been part of Australia’s master plan to retain the title. “That was mentioned before we played England. It was our first chance to send someone home. Although winning the last two outings against New Zealand, Australia will be determined to take avenge on Fleming’s team for its elimination from the tri-series at home two years ago. Australia lost three consecutive games to New Zealand before the controversial bonus points system ended their hopes, and pitted the Kiwis against South Africa in a finals series in Australia. It cost Steve Waugh his one-day captaincy. New Zealand carried over only four points and it must win at least one of its remaining tough games to have hopes of progressing.
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Aussie reputation intimidating rivals? The India-Sri Lanka encounter, the second for both teams in the Super Sixes, comes after a pretty ordinary first game for both teams. Sri Lanka were steam-rolled by the Australian juggernaut, while India made heavy weather of beating Kenya. To add to Sri Lanka’s woes, they might have lost the services of their captain Sanath Jayasuriya for the next two games after he was hit on the forearm by Brett Lee. When the tournament started, I had said that Sri Lanka win only 30 per cent of their overseas games, and were therefore not really a force to contend with in this World Cup. A fine win against New Zealand proved me wrong, and I was impressed with the way they held their nerve during that rain-filled climax of their game against the hosts. Jayasuriya played a stellar role on both occasions, with a century against the Kiwis and by marshalling his resources well against the hosts. It will be very difficult for the team to get on with the game in his absence. The Lankans have other good batsmen, but only Marvan Atapattu and Aravinda de Silva have found any kind of form. The biggest disappointments for them must be Mahela Jayawardene and Kumara Sangakkara. In the absence of Jayasuriya, India will know that getting Atapattu and de Silva will be crucial. For India, their performance against Kenya must have washed off the hangover of their win over Pakistan. They fielded very poorly, and did not inspire much confidence with the bat either. Sourav Ganguly fired just in time for his team, and they avoided the embarrassment of losing to the Kenyans. Once again, I was amazed at the way the Kenyans fielded. They also benefited a little from bowling second, though the ball did not do as much as it had when England beat Pakistan at the same venue. India will have to lift their fielding by a few notches in the future games, starting with tomorrow’s encounter at the Wanderers. The outfield here is so quick that a lapse within the circle always results in a boundary. It is interesting to note that these were the two teams that made it to the finals of the ICC Champions Trophy a few months ago. Both sides were in top form right through that tournament, but went through disastrous tours a little later. They have made a good start to this World Cup, and it must be remembered that Sri Lanka beat West Indies and New Zealand before tying with South Africa. This is why I was disappointed by the way they bowled to the Australians. Chaminda Vaas and Dilhara Fernando were both inaccurate and lackluster against Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting. Is the Aussie reputation intimidating opponents? I hope not, but the next fortnight will give us the answer.
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Campbell
set for recall Bloemfontein, March 9 “It hasn’t been finalised yet. We have to go through the proper procedures with the International Cricket Council (ICC). Being Sunday doesn’t help,” Meman said. Opening batsman Vermeulen sustained a hairline fracture of the skull when he was struck by a delivery from team-mate Travis Friend while batting in the nets at Goodyear Park here on Friday. Meman added that Zimbabwe were also asking if they could replace leg-spinner Brian Murphy with their designated non-travelling reserve Stuart Matsikanyire, a middle-order batsman. Murphy tore a calf muscle while bowling in the nets during the mid-innings break of Zimbabwe’s opening Super Six match against New Zealand yesterday and was consequently unable to take the field at all during a six-wicket defeat. Afterwards Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak said Murphy, who was not needed to bat, had been missed as he was a “wicket-taking bowler”. Time is of the essence for Zimbabwe. They take on fellow Africans Kenya in Bloemfontein on Wednesday in a Super Six match. They must win to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
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Leko stuns Anand
Linares (Spain), March 9 Anand’s loss almost put him out of the race for first place as Leko replaced him as the joint leader along with Braingames champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia. Both Leko and Kramnik have 6.5 points from their 11 games and will clash against each other in the final round. Anand, who was in joint lead after the 12th round win over Teimour Radjabov, slipped to joint third position with top-rated Garry Kasparov of Russia and the two are pitted to meet in a crucial last round game. Anand has not beaten Kasparov in classical chess for over six years but if he can achieve it here the Indian still has a chance to become a joint winner in the event of a draw between Kramnik and Leko. Anand went for the Petroff defence with his black pieces but the ‘rock solid’ tag of the opening did not live up to expectations. PTI
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Fine comeback by PSEB New Delhi, March 9 The PSEB won all their three matches to collect nine points, while Hundustan Club, won two out of three matches to earn six points. Hindustan Club, combined well and called the shots, with M.K. Candid, Rishi Kapoor and A. Felix controlling the mid-field with aplomb, but their forwards A. Seriki and Devesh Kaushik, failed to cash in on easy scoring chances. However, they managed to take the lead in the 32nd minute when inside-left Noel M Fernandes dodged past the PSEB defenders Harvinder Pal Singh and Amrit Pal Singh to slot home the ball from the top of the box. However, Hindustan Club failed to consolidate their position and allowed the PSEB to stage a comeback. The
electricity men did it with panache, as they initiated their moves through the flanks with Parminder Singh and Jujhar Lal doing the spadework. The equaliser came in the 66th minute through Kuldip Singh, while Parminder Singh got the match-winner in the 90th minute. Earlier, in an inconsequential Group A match, the Uttar Pradesh police and Rewari Club of Haryana played out a 1-1 draw. Rewari Club took the lead through Bhagwan Dass in the ninth minute, while the UP police equalised through Dherendra in the 40th minute. |
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Policy
for physically challenged Chandigarh, March 9 Mr Chautala also inaugurated a wrestling hall constructed at a cost of Rs 15 lakh in the local Karan Stadium. The hall has been named after Ch. Devi Lal. The wrestlers would be imparted training strictly in accordance with international standards. |
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Johannesburg, March 9
Video
FACE TO FACE
