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Randhir to
spearhead Olympic Indians failed to hold nerve at crucial times Editorial:
The will to win
A vintage display of spin bowling by Kartik |
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Indians team no pushover: Buchanan
Indian colts bowled out for 219 Fleming out of Pak tour Sethi starts with emphatic win Indian junior win Czech badminton titles BSF in q-finals of Nehru hockey
Boxing meet inaugurated Bodies of coaches found 30 teams for Punjab
basketball
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Randhir
to spearhead Olympic bid panel New Delhi, November 19 Athens will host the 2004 Olympic Games and Beijing (China) has been allotted the 2008 Olympic Games. The bid for the 2012 Olympic Games will come up for finalisation soon, thus leaving the field open for the 2016 Games. India fancy their chances after winning the 2010 Commonwealth Games bid at the meeting of the Commonwealth Games Federation(CGF) in Jamaica on November 13. Randhir Singh, as a senior vice-president of the CGF, had played a vital role in clinching the Commonwealth Games bid for India, and he hopes to play an encore in the preparation for the Olympic bid. Randhir Singh said several IOC members have faxed congratulatory messages to him for India’s successful bid of the Commonwealth Games and “they were now looking forward to India’s bid for the Olympic Games”. Randhir Singh said India got overwhelming support from all the six zones of the Commonwealth Games Federation when the bid for the 2010 Games was put to vote. He said the CGF members from Asia and Africa stood solidly behind India in pipping Hamilton (Canada) to the Games bid. IOA president Suresh Kalmadi, scoffing at reports that India clinched the Commonwealth Games bid at a heavy cost as it has committed to provide $ 7.2 million to the CGF members, elaborated that Canada had made a bigger commitment in financial terms but what eventually tilted the scales in favour of India was the country’s earnestness to host the games and also the successful conduct of the inaugural Afro-Asian Games, which made a tremendous impact on the CGF members from Asia and Africa. Mr Kalmadi, however, noted that India would have to shell out at least Rs 1000 crore per year for the next six years to fully prepare the Indian sportspersons for the Commonwealth Games, and this amount would be over and above what the country would be spending on creating and updating infrastructure and modernising Delhi. The IOA president said he would be calling on the Prime Minister and the chairman of the Planning Commission to impress upon them the need to loosen the purse strings to enable India to host a memorable Commonwealth Games, six years from now, after Sydney (Australia) play host to the 2006 Games. Kalmadi said the Commonwealth Games would bring in a lot of business
opportunities and employment to the youth of the country, and a Commonwealth Business Club, in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), would be established to fully tap the business potential that the games promises. Kalmadi asserted that India won the Commonwealth Games “on merit” and added that “we are capable of organising the games as good or better than any other country”.
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Indians failed to hold nerve at crucial times It was great to see the guys put it across the Indians at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, a venue that has traditionally witnessed Indian victories. It was not a difficult pitch to bat on, but the two Michaels, Bevan and Clarke, once again saw to it that we had enough on the board for the bowlers to defend. I am a big fan of the way Michael Clarke plays. The confidence with which he batted, and later the way he bowled with a wet ball to get two crucial wickets gave Indians a glimpse of why he is considered one of the most exciting young players in Australia. This performance could be a crucial one in his career since there is a No 6 position in the batting line-up for the Test side. There are of course many other hats in the ring with Darren Lehmann, Simon Katich and Martin Love in contention, so it will be interesting to see which way the selectors go. The defeat will hurt the Indians because they were in the box seat on a number of occasions, but were still unable to close out the issue. Ninety-nine for one was a situation from which the hosts should have won, but once Sachin Tendulkar departed, no partnership flourished, and whenever the Indians looked in with a chance, the Australians always broke through. When the batsmen departed, Ian Harvey came and cleaned up the tail with ease. The Indians would have got some consolation from the fact that Sachin Tendulkar’s fine form earned him the Man of the Series award. In Australia, there is plenty of anticipation about watching Tendulkar bat, and it will be interesting to see whether he carries his good form from India to the fast and bouncy pitches in Australia. I’m sure Tendulkar himself views the upcoming Australia tour as a big challenge, and would like to replicate his success during past tours this time as well. I would be lying if I said that the Australians have not gained the upper hand psychologically with wins in two successive finals. However, Test cricket is a different ball game, and victory in one form does not guarantee success in the other. However, nerves at crucial moments are the same in both forms of the game, and it will hurt India that they did not hold their nerve at crucial moments during Tuesday’s finals. I am eager to be part of the first Test, and will try to prove my fitness by playing on November 29 against Tasmania. It will be touch and go for the first Test, but I’m trying my best to make it. Right now Australia is in the grips of rugby fever, and I’m lucky to have got two tickets to the final. I’m not too big on rugby, but it will be a big sporting event, and when it comes to cheering the Aussies, I am even willing to go and lend my support at a ping pong game.
— Gameplan |
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A vintage display of spin bowling by Kartik A cricketer is only as good as his last match. Though figuratively speaking, it is now more than two years, but it took just one match at the Eden Gardens for this Hyderabadi to change from ‘Very Very Special’ to ‘Very Very Sloppy Laxman’. And this is the last thing our faster bowlers would like to see; one of the better catchers in the side dropping sitters, just when for a change, they looked like bowling some disciplined stuff. The Indian team, it seems, was so bothered to bowl well that it forgot that fielding was equally important. Not one, not two or three, s-e-v-e-n chances, that too against a side like Australia and if you are still talking in terms of winning this match, then I suggest you need some immediate attention from your doctor. Agreed that not all the chances proved costly in terms of runs, but getting wickets at frequent intervals on a wicket where it’s not easy for a new batsman to get going, stemming the run flow of the Australian innings, definitely reasons for some better application on the field. That reminds me, why did Salvi make it to the XI in the first place? He hasn’t had a game in the entire series. Suddenly you pick him for the big final and ask him to fire at Pontings and Martyns! Now that is simply asking too much. I can understand the selectors were under pressure to prove that Salvi’s inclusion at the expense of Balaji for the tour Down Under wasn’t that baffling or logic defying. But I reckon they realized their folly pretty soon and ‘expectedly’ the morning papers carried reports of Salvi carrying a shoulder injury. It may be a coincidence but why is that every time the selection committee is criticized for wrong choices, someone limps out with injury? And that should encourage Murali Kartik as well. The left-arm spinner has pleaded his case once again with a vintage display of spin bowling. The Railwayman bowled exceptionally well, giving good loop to the batsmen and right through his sixty balls, he bowled to get wickets. Thanks to the selectors, the now veteran of India A cricket would be hoping that he too manage to squeeze in for the forthcoming series. Coming back to the final at Eden on Tuesday, it is not easy to bat second under lights. The evening sea breeze is conducive to seam bowlers and Bracken and Williams were only too happy to add them to their advantage. Sehwag didn’t fire and Sachin took upon himself the entire baggage of the nation on his shoulders and dragged inch by inch towards the target. That’s not the Sachin we want to see. The absence of Ganguly in the middle order probably played on his mind as he unnecessarily curbed his strokes and looked to pay right through the innings. Not the kind of innings ideal for an Eden track, where sooner or later one ball does a bit and you end up repenting. Talking about Aussie bowling, they went about defending a modest total in a positive manner and only when Dravid and Badani wrested initiative briefly, did Ponting gave a worried look. To their credit, the Australians managed to pick wickets at regular intervals and this was really the key to forge towards victory. You could almost hear the Aussies screaming with joy. Now, that’s disappointing when you have 1,20, 000 Indian supporters in the packed stadium. But then, they were never presented with an occasion by our team to make noise of.
— Dronacharya Sports Promoters Association
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Indians team no pushover: Buchanan
New Delhi, November 19 And Buchanan credits the improvement in the side to Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly who has instilled the team with some of his own combative character. “We have seen the advances they have made since that tour four years ago, during which time there has been new leadership and a new spirit within the Indian team,” Buchanan was quoted as saying by ‘The Australian’ daily today. “They will present a vastly different challenge (this time),” the coach said adding “I think they (India) definitely have a more outspoken approach than we saw last time.” During their last tour India, led by Sachin Tendulkar, crashed to heavy defeats to be blanked 3-0 by the hosts. Their dismal show continued in the tri-series that followed as India managed to win only one of their eight matches against Australia and Pakistan. Buchanan, who guided the world champions to TVS Cup tri-series victory in Kolkata yesterday, said his team had achieved most of their aims during the trip. High on the list was to gain a first-hand feel of the conditions before returning to India in one year. “Part of the theme of this tour was to help us get inside the Indian dressing-room — by that we mean culture, grounds and conditions we’ll find when we come back,” he said. India will leave for Australia for the 82-day tour on Friday. — PTI
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Akram denies coaching offer
Kolkata, November 19 “Having said that let me add, I have played cricket for 20 years and have gained a lot of experience. I am open to any such offer from any country in the world, not only India,” he said. Earlier in the day, BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya ruled out Wasim Akram becoming the bowling coach of India. “This is farthest from truth. Please let me know in more details about it as I have no knowledge about such developments,” he added. Indian coach John Wright also answered in the same vein. “Certainly not. I have no knowledge of any such development. It is too far fetched,” he said this evening. Asked if he would like to have Wasim as a bowling coach, then Wright quipped: “That is for the BCCI to decide. As far as I am concerned I always tell my younger cricketers to acquire tips when they come across the senior cricketers whoever they may be.’’
— UNI
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Indian
colts bowled out for 219
Rajkot, November 19 Daniels smashed 10 boundaries and a mighty six straight down the ground in his 91-ball knock as Lankans began their second essay on a promising note after bowling out Indian colts for 219 to gain a slender 16-run first innings lead. The visitors were 180 for the loss of three wickets when the stumps were drawn for the day. Earlier, resuming at their overnight score of 76 for three, the Indian colts started the day on a disastrous note as Rakesh Solanki was caught in the gully by Daniels while the former tried to ward off the very first delivery of the day by pacer Weeraratne. Even Abhishek Sharma failed to add anything substantial to his overnight score of 12 and was bowled by Lakshita leaving the juniors tottering at 90 for five. However, a defiant 55 by vice-captain Dinesh Karthik, patient 33 by Suresh Raina and quickfire 22 by seamer VRV Singh ensured that the colts did not concede a huge lead.
— PTI
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Fleming out of Pak tour Auckland, November 19 NZC doctor Rob Campbell and medical coordinator Warren Frost examined Fleming today, one day after he arrived back from Mumbai with the four players (Craig McMillan, Scott Styris, Ian Butler and Lou Vincent) who opted out of the Pakistan tour. “Stephen requires physiotherapy treatment and rest over the next three weeks to help ensure he is fit for Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand next month,’’ Frost told reporters. The tour to Pakistan was finally rubber-stamped by the NZC yesterday after New Zealand had received a threatening e-mail from unknown sources advising them not to play during the holy month of Ramadan.
— Reuters
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Sethi starts with emphatic win
Hyderabad, November 19 The other seeded players edged out their opponents in the league phase of the championship being played for the first time in the 150-up format. Three-time world title holder Geet Sethi, who was very prolific with huge breaks in the time play format, was at ease in the shorter version as well and outplayed his Korean opponent 150-6, 150-2, 150-26.
— PTI |
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Indian junior win Czech badminton titles
Chennai, November 19 Fourteen-year-old Saina, the most promising player in the national circuit, won her first international title defeating Yana Vorotnykova of Ukraine 11-3, 11-6 in the final. Saina also became the first Indian junior to win an international title, chief national coach for juniors Sanjiv Sachdeva said in a note here today. In the quarterfinals, Saina beat M Benasova of Poland 11-7, 11-6 while in the semifinals she trounced Pavia Janosova of the Czech Republic 11-2, 11-5 in straight games. Seventeen-year-old Anand, ranked No 2 in the national circuit, also won his first international title defeating Adam Cwalins of Poland 15-1, 15-3 in the final. In the semifinals, he beat Kumelj Luka of Slovakia 15-4, 15-3 and defeated Nejc Boljka of Slovakia 15-4, 15-3 in the quarterfinals. India’s duo of T Sowmya and Deepthi Shalini finished runners-up to England in the doubles event losing to Olver Heather and Jennifer Wallwork 11-15, 12-15. The boys pair of T Dinesh and Anshuman Hazarika reached the semifinals. They lost to the eventual title winners Adam Cwalina and Wojciech Szkudlarczyk. — UNI
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BSF in q-finals of Nehru hockey
New Delhi, November 19 In other super league matches, defending champion Punjab Police split points with Bharat Petroleum after being held to a 2-2 draw while last year’s up Indian Airlines routed Tamil Nadu XI 4-1. In a fast paced encounter, BSf with several former Internationals in their ranks, dominated the proceedings most of the time but Navy men defended their citadel well. The teams were levelled 1-1 at half time. Sushil Kajur put the security men ahead in the 16th minute when he scored off a penaly corner. It took Navy 13 minutes to draw the parity. Rajan Lakra capitalised on the defensive lapse of the security men to send home the equaliser. BSF kept the pressure on in the second session and in the 57th minute, Brinder Guria gave them the lead again and this time he defended it till the end. For Navy, it was their second successive defeat in three-team pool “D”. Trailing 0-2 till the 34th minute, holders Punjab Police fought back to salvage a point as they managed to hold Bharat petroleum 2-2 in pool’A’ match. International Amar Aiyamma put the oilmen ahead in the 21st minute and then Sandeep Michael made it a 2-0 in the 33rd minute. Just before the breather, Sarabjeet Singh reduced the gap for the police (1-2). The Punjab cops equalised in the 47th minute when Baljeet Singh converted a penalty corner. The late stages of the match saw defensive play as teams seemed content to play for the draw. Star-studded Indian Airlines overwhelmed Tamil Nadu XI 4-1 after leading 3-0 at lemon break. Olympian Dilip Tirkey converted a penalty corner in the 7th minute and four minute later Dhanraj Pillay made it 2-0 for Air lines. Just before the half time, Bimal Lakra converted a penalty corner to take the lead to 3-0. Four minutes into the second session Indian Airlines pumped in their fourth goal through Hari Prasad and after that the winners slowed down the pace of the game. Prabhakran reduced the marghi for the losers in the 66th minute. — UNI
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Boxing meet
inaugurated Hisar, November 19 In his address, the president of the Indian Boxing Federation, Mr Abhay Singh Chautala, who was the chief guest at the inaugural function, said that it was a proud moment for the country as well as Haryana that such a big event was being organised here. Mr Chautala, who is also the senior vice president of the Indian Olympic association, said such big event would be helpful in attracting women of Haryana towards this game. He said the state government had introduced new sports policy in Haryana. The government was providing all modern facilities to its players. After implementation of the policy, players of Haryana were giving good performances at the National as well International levels. A colorful cultural
programme was also presented on this occasion. Noted film producer Mr Boni Kapoor and treasure of the Indian Olympic Association Mr Raj Chopra were also present on this occasion. |
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Bodies of coaches
found Shimla, November 19 The accident took place in the evening went unnoticed. As the vehicle plunged into a gorge. The police had launched a search operation along the road. However, it was a woman who came across the bodies and the vehicle scattered in khad about three hundred meter down from the road level. Mrs Geeta Chauhan, a volleyball coach with the SFI, was working in the district sports office, here, while Mr Balkishan Verma, boxing coach was an employee of the youth services and sports department. |
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Kolkata, November 19 Following an NFL committee meeting here today, All-India Football Federation (AIFF) President Priya Ranjan Das Munshi said, “We are happy to announce that the eighth edition of the NFL will kick off in Kolkata in nine days from now. There will be a title sponsor for the game. But the name of the sponsor will be announced only on November 23 during a curtain-raiser programme.’’ Announcing new moves to make the NFL more professional, Mr Munshi said, “we are making it mandatory for all the teams participating in the NFL to maintain and groom an U-19 team, without which they will be debarred from participating in the NFL from the next season.’’ “If the teams maintain an U-19 squad, we will have a full calendar for them,’’ Mr Munshi added, when quizzed on what will their function be. He further added that if the teams withdrew any of the players from the national camp citing injury and the player was found participating in matches for the club, then he would be banned from playing until a disciplinary committee took a decision. — UNI
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30 teams for Punjab
basketball Ludhiana, November 19 In the first part of this meet, inter-district
championship will be conducted from November 26 to 28 and the top four teams in the men’s as well as women’s section will play on the round robin-league basis. The champion district will then join the departmental teams- Punjab Police, PSEB and the BSF in the super league phase. More than 40 matches will be played during the championship during which a galaxy of international cagers namely Parminder Sr, Gagnesh Kumar, Parminder jr, Pritinder Singh, Amit Prashar, Pawan Kuamr, Gurpal Singh, Vipin Kumar, Ashok Kumar, Ravinder Hooda, Jagdeep Singh, Yadvinder Singh, Fatehjit Singh and Snehpal Singh will be seen in action. On the basis of their performance during this tournament, the Punjab probables for the camps prior to their participation in the next edition of the National Basketball Championship slated to be held at Cuttack from December 26 to January 2 will also be selected. An organising committee under the chairmanship of Mr Pramod Ban, SSP, Khanna Police district with Mr Kamaljeet Singh Gill as its organising secretary has been formed for the smooth conduct of the championship, Mr Gill informed. Entries close with Mr Teja Singh Dhaliwal, general secretary, PBA on November 24 at Ludhiana. |
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