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Indian team leaves for Australia
India will miss Kartik Down Under Malleswari disappoints Prakash gets wild card |
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Bharat Petroleum beat EME 3-2
9 Indian boxers enter finals Punjab in command against J&K National cycling from tomorrow Karnal skating Volleyball meet
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Indian team leaves for Australia
Chennai, November 21 India will take on Australia in four Tests before playing the world champions in a triangular one-day series with Zimbabwe as the third team. India will play in two warm-up games before the first Test begins in Brisbane from December 4 to 8. First up is a three-day match against Victoria at Melbourne (Nov 25 to 27) which will be followed by another three-dayer against Queensland at Brisbane (Nov 29 to Dec 1). The second Test begins at Adelaide on December 12 while the last two Tests will be played at Mebourne (Dec 26 to 30) and Sydney (Jan 2 to 6). The tri-series will begin on January 9 with the first of the three finals scheduled on February 6. Just before embarking Ganguly send out a stern message to his team-mates saying it was imperative for each one of them to "lift their game" to make amends for their past failures. "It is going to be a tough and challenging tour. Each one of us will have to lift our game to win matches there," Ganguly told reporters before the team’s departure. "Everybody will have to lift his game including myself. We will have to fight and perform well," the Bengal southpaw said. Ganguly said the task at their hand was very challenging but the team was expecting to do well. "Each tour to Australia by any country is challenging for a side. Australians are very good side at home. It is a similar situation when they visit India. It is not going to be any different. But we expect to do well considering the fact that our team has been batting and bowling well for quite some time now." The Indian skipper, who missed the major part of the recent tri-series including the final, said he was fit now and there was also no injury worry for any player in the touring squad. "We are all fit. I got back for two one-day games in Bangalore and Hyderabad but missed the final. To be honest, I have been playing well since the start of the season," he said. Asked about the strategy the team would employ Down Under, Ganguly said "it is too early to say anything. We have just finished one series and on to another now. It is difficult for me to say at this juncture how the wickets and conditions will be in Australia." Coach John Wright said the team was focussed on its sole objective which was to win the series against the world champions. "We are going on the tour with the hope to win matches and the series. We are going to simply do that,
really try and win the series. We have the potential to do that. Former cricketer and team manager Shivlal Yadav said the team was geared up for the challenge ahead. "No doubt, it is a tough tour. I expect every player to lift his game and pool his resources for the team’s cause of winning matches." India, who have not won a series in Australia in over five decades, had a nightmarish outing the last time they visited the country under Sachin Tendulkar losing all their three Tests comprehensively. India last won a Test series in Australia in 1947-48 while they tasted a win in a Test match in 1980-81 which helped them draw the series 1-1. —
PTI |
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India will miss Kartik Down Under I consider it the most futile exercise to sit and analyse the performance of the Indian team, when our distinguished lot doesn’t have the time to take a look at it. They are all busy arranging their luggage for a two-month long vacation Down Under. Yet, I find it my responsibility to bring out certain points that has been glaring through this Test series and one-day tournament. Let me just put forward the positive aspects on the tour first. Not only will it make a pleasant reading but it will also save me from being branded as unnecessarily critical. After taxing my brains and taking a very lenient approach to the entire issue, I would recommend Aakash Chopra as the find of the series. L Balaji and Murali Kartik ran him quite close but given the fact that Aakash solved, albeit temporarily, the arithmetic of India’s opening batting combination, he gets my vote. The Tamil Nadu seamer bowled with a lot of fire in his belly; was quick and nippy and often had the batsmen jumping with short of good length deliveries. That he bowled without much to show in the wickets tally is a bit of pity but this guy was impressive. Of course, Kartik, in his limited and restricted opportunities the selectors presented him, gave a breathtaking display of spin bowling that made him the talking point of the series. India will miss this spinner on their tour. Then, of course there was Sachin Tendulkar sizzling with the willow in the ODIs and the elegant strokeplay can’t be missed when we are talking about Test matches. It’s quite an extension of my leniency that Sehwag’s two hundreds are mention here along with Dravid’s decent run in the past one and half months. Ironically, the critical aspects are all very significant and more pronouncing. The only consistent part of our team’s performance is their inconsistency. Bundles of shoddy work and in between we have a thin layer of brilliance to spare their blushes. Our prime bowlers took a long time to reach to the idea of bowling accurately and disciplined. By the time it happened they are overseas bound. The Kiwis did it, the Australians proved equally worthy but that line and length stuff never sided with out Indian side. The spinners just didn’t get the ball to tweak enough and were happy to blame it on the pitch. Both Kumble and Harbhajan board their flight without the hype of their weaving magic. Our middle order cracked at a hint of pressure and the approach of the team has been bewildering. Wicketkeeping and fielding too didn’t lag far behind in earning my displeasure. In fact, Parthiv Patel should consider himself extremely lucky to retain his Test slot. He was not bad, he was worse standing behind the wickets and it did little to up the morale of the team. Inspite of everything, the team management still has the audacity to expect a strong competition against the world champions. Possible, if some miracles happen overnight. And cricket is one game where it takes place often. So what are we waiting for? Series Down Under!
— Dronacharya Sports Promotors Association |
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Malleswari disappoints New Delhi, November 21 Malleswari, who finished 12th with an overall lift of 235kg (105+130) in the women’s 75-kg class, began on the wrong note at Vancouver, Canada failing to lift 105kg in snatch. But on her second attempt she cleared 105kg and improved it to 107kg, according to information received here today. The Andhra girl, who became the first Indian woman to win a medal in Olympics in Sydney, then gave an improved performance in clean and jerk hoisting 130kg. The gold medal went to Shichun Shang of China who created world records in all three categories — snatch, clean and jerk and overall - recording an overall tally of 273kg. The Chinese girl went from strength to strength with each attempt as she lifted 120kg in snatch and 153kg in clean and jerk to
emerge victorious. Egyptian Nahla Ramadan lifted 262.5kg (117.5+145) and Slaveyka Ruzhinska of Bulgeria 252.5kg (112.5+140) won the silver and bronze medal respectively. —
PTI |
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Prakash gets wild card New Delhi, November 21 This will be the second time that Prakash and Stephen would be teaming up for the ATP doubles. Prakash, who made his Davis Cup debut for India after taking transfer from the USA in the world group qualifying tie against Holland in September this year, is ranked 193 in the world. Sponsors Tatas said Leander Paes had also been offered a wild card for the main draw. The $ 400,000 prize money Indian Open is India’s and South Asia’s only ATP International Series event. Leander has an enviable record in the Indian Open, having reached the semifinal of the singles in 1998 before losing to eventual champion Patrick Rafter, and winning four doubles titles in partnership with Mahesh
Bhupathi. |
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Bharat Petroleum beat EME 3-2 New Delhi, November 21 Two other former champions Punjab and Sind Bank and last year’s runners-up Indian Airlines also recorded emphatic wins over their respective rivals to complete the quarter-final line-up. Punjab and Sind Bank routed Railways 7-2 while Indian Airlines handed a 4-1 thrashing to Namdhari XI. In a fast paced encounter, Bharat Petroleum enjoyed slight edge over EME and led 2-1 at half time. Len Ayappa, who played a crucial role in India’s title win in the Afro-Asian Games proved that his showing at Hyderabad was no fluke. The tall and sturdy penalty corner expert made full use of the chances that came his way to power his team to victory. Ayappa gave notice to his rivals of his intentions rather early when he converted two penalty corners in a space of nine minutes. He first struck in the 14th minute and then made it 2-0 in the 23rd minute. Rattled by these two conversions, the Army men fought back and managed to reduce the gap five minutes before the breather through veteran Avtar Singh, who made no mistake in converting a stroke (1-2). Six minutes into the second session, the oil men consolidated their lead again through Ayappa, the highest scorer in the Malaysian Hockey league last season, who struck for the third time in a row off a penalty corner. —
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9 Indian boxers enter finals Chandigarh, November 21 World champion Indian captain MC Marrykom hooked and cut her way to victory in the semifinals in the 46 kg weight category. She defeated L.G. Chandrika of Sri Lanka. Despite firm defensive resistance from Chandrika, Marrykom proved her might before the referee stopped the contest in the second round. A few strong punches by Kanak Durga of India in the second round of the 46 kg weight category proved a futile exercise as her opponent Se Yanfurong of China had already gathered a good score. Yanfurong won 37-29. Meena Kumari of India defeated Lee Chi Man of Chinese Taipei in the 50 kg semifinal. In 54 kg category India’s L. Sarita outscored Chien Hsin Tzu of Taipei, forcing the referee to stop the contest in the first round. The Results: 46 kg: Chou Szu Yin (Chinese Taipei) b Pui Ka Tang (Hong Kong), MC Marrykom (India) b LG Chandrika (Sri Lanka). 48 kg: Se Yanfurong (China) b Kanak Durga (India) 37-29, Rijong Hyang (DPR Korea) b Kaa Dilrukashi (Sri Lanka). 50 kg: Meena Kumari (India) b Lee Chi Man (Chinese Taipei), Kim Kwang Ok (DPR Korea) b Naoko Fujioka (Japan) 24-17. 52 kg: Pak Yok Ok (DPR Korea) b A Yanase (Japan), Sushma (India) b Li Bo (China). 54 kg: L Sarita (India) b Chien Bsin Tzu (Chinese Tapei), Ha Son Bi (DPR Korea) b Zhang Giyan (China) 24-22. 57 kg: Kim Hyo Min (South Korea) b A. Lama (Nepal), Yun Kum Ju (DPR Korea) b Aswathy (India) 21-12. 60 kg: Kang Kum Hui (DPR Korea) b Jin Shi (China), Asha Rani (India) b Cho Jung Sook (South Korea). 63 kg: Jenny (India) b Tian Dan (China) 20-9 Kimhye Yong (DPR Korea) b Pkd Sumudu (Sri Lanka). 66 kg: Aruna (India) b Ri Jong Sim (DPR Korea), Wang Xian (China) b Linya Ting (Chinese Taipei) 19-9.
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Punjab in command against J&K Patiala, November 21 Resuming from their overnight 372 for 4, the hosts, with an eye on a quick declaration, went in for some quick runs in the morning. The onus to accelerate the scoring was on lanky Amritsar left handed Munish Bhatia who has been in good form this season. However, after hitting three rasping boundaries on the off side, Bhatia unfortunately fell to a superb one handed catch in the covers. Later, in the visitors first innings, he showcased his immense talent by holding a breathtaking one handed catch at the long off fence of left arm tweaker Sumit Kalia. Among the hosts bowlers, the spotlight was on Bhatia’s Amritsar colleague and medium pacer Bharat Loomba who bowled a tidy line and length to slice through the top order. Loomba ended up with figures of 4 for 43 and he was well supported Sumit Kalia who finished with 4 for 40. In their second essay, Punjab skipper and off spinner Ankur Jund had visitors on the mat by removing the top two batsmen without conceding even a single run. Brief scores: Punjab (1st innings): 456 for 6 J&K (1st innings): 152 all out (Ian Dev Singh 34, Shaukat 29, Sohil 16, Bharat Loomba 4 for 43, Sumit Kalia 4 for 40, Ankur Jund 1 for 20). J&K (2nd innings): 25 for 2 (Ankur Jund 2 for 0). |
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National cycling from tomorrow Ludhiana, November 21 According to Mr J S Grewal, secretary general, CFI, more than 450 riders along with 50 officials from 22 states and six boards will be taking part in this meet. Two strong contenders- Manipur and Assam have expressed their inability to send the contingents due to disturbed conditions there. Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, and President, CFI and Punjab Olympics Association will inaugurate the championship on November 23 while Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh, Vice Chancellor, PAU will be the chief guest on November 28. |
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Karnal skating Karnal, November 21 |
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Title for Parnita
New Delhi, November
21 Overnight leader
Anjali, who had hung on with determination to lead for the first three days, slowly went down in the final round. Neither Parnita nor Anjali played golf of championship quality, Parnita winning with a 79 to Anjali's 83, but there was plenty of excitement as in the ding-dong battle. —
PTI |
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Volleyball meet Fatehgarh Sahib, November 21 Following are today’s results of the tournament: In the girls category, the
GNIMT, Ludhiana; BBSBE Collge, Fatehgarh Sahib; the IET, Bhaddal, and the Sukhmani Institute of Engineering, Dera
Bassi, entered the semifinals. |
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