 |
|
|
Gilchrist powers Aussies to big win
Improve bowling, fielding: Wright India has not taken a step backward in series Smith, Gibbs share record in run spree
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
; enter final
Kuala Lumpur, January 16 Australia humbled Germany 4-2 today to set up a title clash with Pakistan in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup Hockey Tournament here. In a virtual replay of the 2002 World Cup final here when Germany won 2-1, the Aussies punished their opponents for their mistakes and goals by Michael McCann (14th minute), Travis Brooks (36th) and Grant Schubert (65th and 68th) paved the way for a deserving win.
Anand draws third game in a row Kila Raipur fest from Jan 29 Rural Games: Punjab overall champions E. Bengal blank Sporting Harbhajan soccer: PP, BSF in semis
|
|
Gilchrist powers Aussies to big win
Hobart, January 16 ‘Man-of-the-match’ Gilchrist smashed 13 fours and three sixes in his 126-ball innings to guide the hosts to 344 for seven, their highest one-day score at home, and then took three catches in the second session as Zimbabwe could only manage 196 for six. For the third straight time in the series, Zimbabwe skipper Heath Streak had to rescue his team from being skittled out for just about 100 runs on the board. He hit an unbeaten 64 and took three wickets for 50 runs, which surely was the highlight of the African team’s performance. But the day undoubtedly belonged to the Aussie vice captain. Coming in from a string of off colour performances, including a pair of 34s in the previous two matches of the series, Gilchrist was given a life when he was dropped by Douglas Hondo at 36. He then launched himself into an all out attack, driving and pulling with an impudent air. But it wasn’t all big hits that took Gilchrist to 173. He took as many as 96 of his runs in singles and twos to not allow the Zimbabwe bowlers tie him up with the nagging lengths and combined with opener Matthew Hayden to forge a 140-run partnership in just 22.3 overs. Hayden, on his part, played an equal hand in the carnage, slashing the ball over slips and hitting some rasping driving before he was caught by Vusi Sibanda at mid wicket off Streak for 63. With the score 140 for one, Gilchrist was joined by his skipper Ricky Ponting and two were content playing the ball into the gaps for singles and twos, while maintaining the high run rate. After having played in such a sedate fashion for almost 10 overs, the Australians decided to launch a fresh attack. Gilchrist took the initiative yet again and smashed a four of the last ball of the 33rd over to trigger the run riot. Ponting joined in, lofting the next ball over extra cover and Gilchrist hit Andy Blignaut for two fours in the 35th over. Gilchrist then hit Hondo for three consecutive fours as the spinners proved ineffective in curtailing the two batsmen. Ponting finally holed out at long off for 37 (246 for two). In the meantime, the Zimbabwe team added to their woes dropping Gilchrist again when he was on 71. But Damien Martyn (47) joined in the party to keep the momentum going. Gilchrist, who was dropped again on 159, finally fell, one short of the highest one-day score by an Australian batsman as he was bowled by Sean Ervine. The scoreboard then read 310 for three. Gilchrist’s dismissal triggered a collapse as Australia lost Andrew Symonds, Michael Clarke and Andy Bichel for ducks and Michael Bevan for seven. But the Aussie wicketkeepr’s innings had given the hosts more than a strong enough platform to take them to the mammoth total. Australia next take on India in the fifth match of the series at Brisbane on Sunday. — UNI
|
|
Improve bowling, fielding: Wright
Brisbane, January 16 “This is a really important week for us. It should virtually assure our qualification for the finals. We still have to work out a way to beat Australia in one-day cricket. They still have got an edge on us a little at the moment,” Wright said here today. “Our batting is doing alright and fielding is something we are trying to put some edge back. That is an area we need to sharpen up. Our performance in the first game was pretty shoddy. Our ground fielding was terrible though catching was outstanding.” Wright said. Wright also felt the team, with a bunch of inexperienced young bowlers, has not been able to lift itself in the bowling area in the series. But he said the absence of a few key bowlers, including seamer Zaheer Khan and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, should not make much of a difference to the Indians since they have plenty of options. “Ajit (Agarkar) has had a lot of cricket on this tour but he has hung in bravely. I am very pleased Amit Bhandari is here for he has had good domestic form and was impressive with the A teams. Anil (Kumble) is carrying a bit of experience. So that’s where we need to build blocks around these bowlers.” Wright said. “Only three of the guys are missing from the World Cup so we should take heart from it. The others are inexperienced but provide options. It should keep everyone on toes,” Wright said. Left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra, working on the sidelines to get over an ankle injury, also received a vote of confidence from his coach. “Ash (Nehra) is a tough boy and this tour has been tough for him but I have great faith in him and on his day he is a match-winner,” Wright said about the bowler who looked out of sorts in the Test series against Australia and had just four wickets from three Tests at 95.50. Nehra came on this tour virtually untested since his ankle operation in mid-2003 and could never have a prolonged spell in the Tests. He then sat out the Sydney Test because of a flare-up in his troublesome ankle and has not played a part in the one-day series so far. — PTI
|
|
India has not taken a step backward in series The Indian cricketers have lately acquired that hard edge which they could not summon on so many previous foreign tours. They have improved in all areas and no longer should somebody question why they have been such poor travellers on the road. You could sense it from their demeanour — hard-nosed, terrier-like approach — and a team which has not taken a backward step in the series. Australia have been world champions but
every time you see this Indian team in the park, you feel they can beat Australia. It is not a small credit and reflect well on the respect the Indians enjoy. If the weather is kind, and that is a big if because a rain depression has set in Queensland, India and Australia should have a cracker of a game at Gabba on Sunday. You could be sure the outfield would have been trimmed and ball would race along the boundary from the heavy artillery which both the sides carry. It is a good deck and there would be bounce but the one-dayers in Gabba usually produce high scores. Not that you expect anything less from batsmen of two sides who have been in magnificent form all summer. A side would be deemed to have done well if they could stop the other from crossing 250 runs. Australia still set the benchmark in world cricket and for anyone else to be looked up in better esteem is a great tribute to Ganguly and his men. They are no longer dependent on Sachin Tendulkar for runs. Everyone else is putting up his hand and performing. Sourav Ganguly has been a revelation. He was the fall guy of international cricket, who sometimes gave the impression in batting and fielding of a kid born with a silver spoon. He looked to have a soft underbelly. But he has been gutsy and feisty on this tour and has shown tremendous character. I have a feeling captaincy has brought out the tiger in him. With responsibility his character has toughened and now he gives nothing away. Zimbabweans have been under a weather in this series and it is developing into a two-headed competition. The two heavyweights have not met since that chilly night at the MCG and the African team has struggled to retain the attention of a cricketing nation which still carries the hangover of an exceptional Test series. At the start of the summer, a grateful Matthew Hayden had knocked off the top total in Test cricket and Adam Gilchrist nearly did the same to the one-day record in Hobart. Indeed, Zimbabweans are losing the plot. Still I believe Zimbabwe must be taken seriously at all times. They can deliver a knock-out punch and dent a few egos in the next two weeks. It is not beyond them even though the thoughts of a place in the finals are receding every day. They are handicapped because they only have a pool of 30-odd cricketers to choose from and without a strong bench, the others do not have a competition in their compound. They are still needed in international cricket and any thoughts on their credentials must be dropped at the nearest garbage. VVS Laxman should bat higher in the order. In certain games of academic interest, he should even be asked to open. He still has to sort out the subtle difference between Tests and one-dayers but he can work out his game plan. Sometimes, a good Test player tries too hard in the shorter form of the game. He has talent in abundance and only needs to realise there is only a slight difference between the two forms of cricket. Once he starts working the ball around in the field, learn to pick his singles, he would be fine. I have a soft spot for Irfan Pathan who has been refreshing and shown a great heart in the few matches he has played. Ajit Agarkar has shown if the ball is put in right areas, a bowler could reap rich rewards. He has caused grief to opposing batsmen. It is not everyday a bowler takes six Australian wickets in a one-day game. Anil Kumble is in good form and the others must forge important links with these key bowlers. Indians have a packed itinerary and four matches scheduled in a space of a week. There should be no complaints here for that is the way modern itineraries are planned these days. Cricketers must learn to come to grips with it mentally. It is no different from million of others who get up everyday and report for job at 9 am, every working day of the year. Certain things do go with the job.
— PTI |
|
|
Smith, Gibbs share record in run spree
Centurion, January 16 Smith and Gibbs put on 301 for the first wicket, making them the first pair to share three triple century partnerships in Tests. They shared 368 against Pakistan in Cape Town last January, and added 338 against England in Birmingham in July. Smith scored 139 in five hours at the crease in which he faced 180 balls and hit 21 fours and two sixes. Gibbs batted for five hours, faced 229 balls and hit 18 fours and two sixes. Scoreboard
South Africa (1st innings): Smith c Jacobs Gibbs not out 139 Rudolph not out 1 Extras:
(b-1 9-lb nb-8 w-5) 23 Total: (for one wicket, 67.1 overs) 302 Bowling:
Dillon 16-3-66-0, Edwards 11.1-0-69-0, Drakes 18-4-57-0, Collymore 11-0-51-1, Gayle 7-0-39-0, Sarwan 4-0-10-0.
— Reuters
|
|
They will take no further part in the tournament that concludes on Sunday when the classification matches for 1-6 positions will be played. Spain, for whom Santiago Freixa (6th minute), Xavier Ribas (21st), Victor Sojo (42nd) and Juan Escarre (69th) scored, completed their league fixtures with eight points. The Indians, whose only goal came in the 66th minute when Len Aiyappa converted the fourth penalty corner, just did not have the firepower to score nor a defence that could check the fleet-footed Spanish forwards. Midfield errors and an unforgivable miss by Sandeep Michael as early as in the third minute dashed India’s hopes and the decision to field an obviously unfit Baljeet Singh Dhillon, who is nursing a fractured nose, made little difference. The Spaniards took full advantage of these lapses and though goalkeeper Adrian D’Souza managed to block three good attempts, the European outfit still slotted in two penalty corner goals to take the breather with a 2-0 lead. After the let-off by Michael, the Spaniards began to assert themselves with a series of carefully crafted moves that probed the Indian defence. Spain earned a penalty corner when Pol Amat took a hard crack at the goal following a swift counter-attack. D’Souza blocked at the expense of a penalty corner which Freixa converted. Spain continued to put pressure on the Indian defence but D’Souza took some solid blows on his body to deny the rampaging opposition forwards. But the persistent Spaniards finally scored from their fifth penalty corner when Ribas drag-flicked to net. If the Indian midfield and deep defence appeared shaky, then it was no better upfront. Both Arjun Halappa and Michael were tightly marked and made no impression. Thus, the Indian attacks were blunted. Seven minutes into the second-half, Spain virtually sealed the match when Sojo finished a right-wing counter-attack with a reverse flick past a fallen D’Souza. Down 0-3, goalkeeper Kamldeep Singh replaced D’Souza in the 42nd, but by then, the Indians had suffered irrepairable damage. The Indians finally showed some urgency and purpose in their moves. However, Vikram Pillay twice missed from close and then Rajpal Singh’s cross from the right across the goalmouth went unattended by both Michael and Halappa. A minute left for the close, Juan Escarre found the boards from yet another counter-attack to snuff out the last of Indian challenge. — PTI
|
|
Aussies down Germany; enter final Kuala Lumpur, January 16 Pakistan have already qualified for the final which will be played on Sunday. The Germans, who needed only a draw to advance to the final, were kept afloat by a Matthias Wittahaus goal in the 32nd, but then on the day, the world champions, especially skipper Florian Kunz, committed far too many mistakes against a side that kept its focus. Though Witthaus knocked in another goal a minute before the final whistle, it was all over, bar the shouting.
Korea to clash with Germany for bronze A first-half hat-trick by Lee Jung Seon swept Korea to a resounding 4-1 win against Malaysia today and set them up for a bronze medal clash with Germany in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament, at the National Stadium, here.
— PTI |
|
Hewitt, Henin stroll into finals
Sydney, January 16 Hewitt advanced to tomorrow’s men’s final when Dutchman Martin Verkerk retired after losing the first set 6-2 complaining of dizziness. Hewitt will play Carlos Moya for the title after the Spaniard beat South Africa’s Wayne Ferreira 6-2 6-1 in just 41 minutes. Henin-Hardenne did not even get on court after her opponent, Lindsay Davenport, pulled out with a shoulder injury. Davenport strained a muscle in her right shoulder during her quarter-final win over Elena Dementieva yesterday then aggravated the problem by playing doubles. The American told a news conference today that it was too painful for her to play against Henin-Hardenne but she was hopeful of recovering in time for the Australian Open, starting in Melbourne on Monday. “I’ve dealt with much worse injuries and things in the past so I’m pretty optimistic that it will heal,” Davenport said. Henin-Hardenne will play either Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo or Italy’s Francesca Schiavone in the final. The second semi-final was washed out by rain and re-scheduled for tomorrow morning, with the title match taking place later in the day. French Open finalist Verkerk said he was hit by stomach problems and diarrhoea just before going on court and began to feel dizzy during the match. A two-hour rain delay during the contest failed to hand Verkerk a respite. — Reuters
|
|
Anand draws third game in a row
Wijk Aan Zee, January 16 Overnight leaders Anand, Vladimir Kramnik of Russia, Peter Leko of Hungary, Michael Adams of England and Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria maintained their joint lead with 3 points each. Following them a half point behind are local star Loek Van Wely, Vladimir Akopian of Armenia, former champion Evgeny Bareev of Russia and Svidler. Dortmund winner Viktor Bologan of Moldova, Alexei Shirov of Spain, Zhang Zhong of China and Dutchmen Ivan Sokolov and Jan Timman share the tenth spot on 2 points apiece. — PTI
|
|
Kila Raipur fest from Jan 29 Chandigarh, January 16 Events for special players, including physically handicapped, are being added to the festival from the coming edition. Tricycle races, which were included on experimental basis in the last edition, become a regular event now. Another new attraction will be participation of American-Sikh students of Miri Piri Institute (Amritsar) in kabaddi and other events. According to Mr Grewal, this rural sports festival has been included in the calendar of festivals by the Department of Tourism of Government of India. This will be the sixth festival on the national calendar, the other five being Hola Mohalla, Maghi at Muktsar, Shaheedi Jor Mela at Fatehgarh Sahib, Baisakhi at Talwandi Sabo and Rose Festival (Chandigarh). Besides the traditional rural events like cart races, camel races, equestrian sports, including Horse races, tent pegging and special display by Nihang Sikhs, competitions will be organised in
kabaddi, tug of war, weightlifting, sack lifting, dog races, besides the prestigious Bhagwant Memorial Gold Cup Hockey Tournament for men and a junior tournament for boys. There will be track and field competitions also. Mr Sukhvir Singh Grewal further disclosed that some top hockey teams of the country, including Air-India, Punjab Police, Punjab and Sind Bank, Border Security Force and others have been invited to participate in the Bhagwant Memorial Gold Cup Tournament. Similarly, top teams from schools at Patiala, Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Lucknow, Shahbad Markanda and other places are being invited for the junior tournament. Several eminent sportspersons will be felicitated during the festival. They include Bishan Singh Bedi (cricket), M.P. Ganesh (hockey), Balbir Singh (Punjab Police - hockey), Pritam Singh Kherri (cart races) and Sarwan Singh Bal
(kabaddi). The cultural festival, which will feature top folk singers, is being dedicated to the late Surjit
Bindrakhia. The Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, and the Finance Minister, Mr Lal Singh, will be guests of honour during the festival, which will be formally inaugurated on January 30 by the Director-General of Police, Dr
A.A. Siddiqui. In kabaddi, some teams from abroad, including Canada, the USA and England besides those from Mandi Board, Punjab State Electricity Board and others are expected to participate. |
|
|
Rural Games: Punjab overall champions Sangrur, January 16 The second group included tug of war, football (boys), weight lifting and volleyball for both boys and girls. This competition was held at Siliguri from November 14 to 17. Punjab won four gold, four silver and two bronze medals at this competition. The group III competition in
kabaddi, archery and kho-kho for boys and girls was conducted at Pondicherry and
Punjab got first place in boys kabaddi and archery, second in girls archery and third in girls
kabaddi.
|
|
|
Kolkata, January 16 Alvito de Cunha, Baichung Bhutia, Christiano Junior and Mike Okoro found the target for the winners who now have 18 points from 10 matches. Leaders Dempo are on 20 points from 9 encounters. Sporting stun Salgaocar Margao: Dudu Omagbemi capitalised on a defensive lapse and helped Haywards Sporting Club upset Salgaocar 1-0 in a Goan derby in the National Football League here today. The all important goal was scored in the 17th minute when Salgaocar defender Bello Rasaq fumbled to clear the ball from the danger zone. Dudu snatched the ball, took a few strides before despatching the ball into the net. Vasco down Indian Bank 2-0 Chennai: After a barren first half, Vasco Sports Club, Goa scored twice to down local outfit Indian Bank in a 10th round match of the National Football League here tonight. Vasco’s Brazilian recruit Edson Tadeu De Castro netted the first goal in the 73rd minute, while substitute Denis Cabral made it 2-0 in the 84th minute.
— PTI
|
|
|
Harbhajan soccer:
PP, BSF in semis Chandigarh, January 16 In the first match, Punjab Police started the game on a fast pace and displayed complete control. Sukhjit of Punjab Police scored the first goal in the 23rd minute with a solo effort. Left-back Vijay Pal of Punjab Police initiated a move and gave a pass to the right-half who relayed the ball to Parminder Singh. Parminder made no mistake and scored the second goal in the 27th minute. Sukhjit scored the third goal while Vijay Pal rounded off the tally in 65th minute to make it 4-0. In the second match, Harvinder Singh of BSF received the ball from Boy Singh before shooting into the net in the 11th minute. Negi of BSF scored the second goal off a pass from right-half Harwinder. In the second half BSF were in full control and enjoyed an edge in every department of the game. Gurjit of the Kharar club received the ball from the right-back and beat the entire defence but failed to score.
|
|
Inter-college hockey Rohtak, January 16
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | National Capital | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Videos
Kuala Lumpur, January 16
