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India look for comprehensive win Yuvraj, bowlers did a great job India fined for slow over-rate Concerns about Akram letting out ‘secrets’ Agassi, Safin, Henin enter fourth round
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Paes-Martina move into second round
Punjab cops lift hockey trophy Chandigarh girl enters final
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India look for comprehensive win
Adelaide, January 23 The Indians were in roaring form throughout the Australian tour and ran the world champions close in all the three ODI matches, though they lost two out of the three. They would be hoping that star batsmen Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag would quickly get back to their groove, if they return to play against Zimbabwe in the day-night match. If fit, Tendulkar, who missed two matches with an ankle injury, and Sehwag, who skipped three games due to a shoulder sprain, would get three matches before thinking about the finals against Australia which begins at Melbourne on February 6. Zimbabwe were bracing themselves for another batting onslaught by the Indians, who with or without top stars, have carried enough punch to even stagger Australia. So Zimbabwe should matter little to them on the morrow. Though the game is full of surprises and opinions come back to haunt the gun-jumpers, Zimbabwe (1 point) would find it difficult to pick themselves up from the floor against the Indians (on 18 points). Zimbabwe’s confidence has been handed a shattering blow through the injury to opener Mark Vermeulen whose fractured skull has been operated upon but is ruled out of the equation for months. Vermeulen suffered the horrible injury when a short pitched delivery from young pacer Irfan Pathan glanced off his bat and found its way through the helmet on to his forehead. Zimbabwe’s best chance lies in keeping the Indian total to manageable limits, which seems impossible at the moment against the rampaging tourists, and attempting an inspired chase. Captain Sourav Ganguly, deputy Rahul Dravid and stylish VVS Laxman have remained a force throughout the summer but added to the list is the emergence of Yuvraj Singh from a mere slogger to a batsman who can build an enormous innings provided he has overs to play with. The Punjab player has bagged Man-of-the-Match awards in the last two games and his batting against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground was as scintillating as it comes. He has not let India suffer from the absence of Tendulkar or Sehwag, both of whom could come into picture tomorrow. Tendulkar and Sehwag were being rested more as a precaution than any serious injury and could be declared fit before the game starts tomorrow. Ganguly was very keen that the two played in the game at Sydney but against Zimbabwe he is not inclined to push them into a match-situation. When one remembers that both Tendulkar and Sehwag had provided century stands in the first two games they played together, the sheer scale of India’s batting might acquires a fearsome face. India have always looked capable of topping 300 on the board and their lowest completed innings in this tri-series was their 255 for six against Zimbabwe at Gabba on Tuesday. The Indians have also shown tremendous stamina and intent in going through the gruelling schedule with ease, never dropping guard or taking things for granted. What has been of particular delight to Ganguly is the form of his young fast bowlers, Irfan Pathan and Laxmipathy Balaji, despite the loss to Australia in a rain curtailed match at Sydney last night. Pathan is a wicket-taking bowler and Balaji relishes bowling to the left-handers, of whom there are any number of batsmen in both the Australian and Zimbabwean ranks. Left-arm spinner Murali Kartik also looked in good shape and Ajit Agarkar and Anil Kumble are always around, implying the tourists’ bowling is no longer lame. The fifth bowler’s slot, in the hands of Ganguly and Rohan Gavaskar, is also no longer giving the team sleepless nights. India’s fielding has also come up by leaps and bounds and their catching has been sensational, though Parthiv Patel behind the stumps is beginning to get scowl up on the bowler’s face. Patel has missed a number of stumping chances and he does not look in good shape when standing up to the wicket, either to spinners or to the likes of Sourav Ganguly. Zimbabwe’s batting has been suffering collective failures and the 30s and 40s from their top batsmen is not good enough at this level. Their fielding alone is world class and they must pluck those half chances and effect those sharp run-outs to keep India in rein. If not, the placid, perfect batting conditions at the Oval will once again be a stage for the Indians to showcase their talents. — PTI
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Yuvraj, bowlers did a great job Rahul Dravid, one of the heroes of India’s great show in the current tour of Down Under, was utterly despondent when charges of ball tampering was levelled against him. I strongly feel that Rahul is a man, who has always stood up for the honour of the game. This time he was needlessly accused of doing something he has never done in his distinguished career. A footage of few seconds, where Rahul was trying to pick the sticky sweet off the ball, has unnecessary dragged his name in the book of cricketing crimes. A matter of triviality was simply exaggerated by the television to turn the true hero of the game into a villain. Little efforts were made by the match referee Clive Lloyd to see the intent of the player behind his actions. Chewing jellies and gums is a common practice on the field and the laws of cricket permit applying the saliva to shine the ball. The gum or the sticky sweet had surely got on the ball accidentally. The obvious and innocent attempt by Rahul to clean the ball has been misconstrued as using foreign substance to change the nature of the ball. It may also be the open-ended rule governing ball tampering and the repetitive broadcasting of the same footage that had prompted the match referee to take a harsh decision. But it has done great damage to the reputation of a gentleman cricketer and the ignominy will forever hang over his head for his inadvertent act. The ICC will be wise to look into the matter and redefine the laws of ball tampering before it hampers the reputations of great cricketers like Rahul. Yuvraj Singh coming to his real form is yet another feather in the cap for the Indian batting line-up. The young Yuvi came firing all cylinders when the big guns laid low. Since Indians are already in the finals, injuries came rather as a blessing in disguise for the tourists as they could try out some of the reserve resources. Although a regular member of the team, Yuvraj came into the game at a stage when India needed an innings of real character. The phenomenal Laxman guided the young cannon in Yuvraj towards the Australian attack. If Laxman was elegant in his drives, Yuvraj was brutal with his forceful shots. Yuvraj’s hundred will not only give a new dimension to the already reinforced Indian batting line-up, but will also give the right impetus to his own career. A great performance like this will help Yuvraj to mature and will earn him tremendous respect back in the dressing room. Regal Laxman did what he is best known for on this tour. A rain-curtailed game doesn’t do any good to the teams. The equations keep changing and at times the team with the upper hand slips up to precarious positions. The Duckworth-Lewis equation brought the game to a nail-biting finish. The initial onslaught by Gilchrist kept the run rate within the achievable limits. The credit should go to the bowlers in the end. The Indian bowlers were magnificent in sustaining the pressure till the penultimate ball of the match. The find of the tour, Irfan Pathan and the new-found bowling spirits of skipper Ganguly have suddenly expanded the resources of Indian bowling attack. Although India lost the match, the way the bowlers stood up to the testing times and handled the pressure till the end of the game was not only commendable but also made the bowlers richer in
experience. Balaji must have felt proud bowling the last over since the captain pinned hopes in him to do the job. When the game goes till the last over, it could be anybody’s game. The pressure of the international cricket did play on the nerves of the Indian fielders. Rohan Gavaskar, playing only his third game, will surely take his part in the match as a valuable experience. The kind hearts in the team will definitely speak to Rohan to enjoy the game, as they all understand the feelings of a
newcomer. Parthiv Patel must have felt little disappointed while doing his job. The diminutive wicketkeeper is certainly capable of doing a better job behind the stumps. Having known him as a hard worker, I am sure, Parthiv will contribute greater things to his side. The Indian team on Thursday was depleted, yet portrayed the attitude of winning. Despite losing the match, it was clearly evident that this team has started cultivating the habit of winning. — Chivach Media |
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India fined for slow over-rate Sydney, January 23 Ganguly was also charged with a Level Two breach of the ICC’s Code of Conduct as a result of which the Indian captain received an additional fine of 50 per cent of his match fee. Lloyd informed the Indian players and the team management this evening that the side finished the game three overs short of the required rate. Under the sanctions outlined in the ICCF’ Code of Conduct, each player receives a fine of five per cent of his match fee for each of the first five overs that the side is behind, while the captain receives a 10 per cent fine for each over that his team is down. Ganguly was also charged with a Level Two breach of the ICC’s Code of Conduct which states: “If the over rate is more than 5 overs short of the minimum overs in a Test match or more than 2 overs in an ODI match, the captain in addition to sanctions imposed in accordance with (i) and (ii) will be charged under C1 of the Code of Conduct, conduct contrary to the spirit of the game, on the basis of time wasting. (Level 2 offence).
— PTI
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Concerns about Akram letting out ‘secrets’
Islamabad, January 23 While asserting that Akram, currently in Australia as a commentator for a TV channel, has every right to coach any cricketer of his choice, the Pakistan cricket establishment wants the legendary all rounder “to draw a line” on working with Indian players. Akram on Sunday spent over an hour coaching Pathan who has emerged as the find of the Indian team on their tour Down Under and reports of Akram and his “virtual clone” bonding together have been doing the round in cricketing circles here. Coach Javed Miandad felt that Akram was within his right to give tips to bowlers but was worried that his former team-mate might also go to the extent of teaching Indian batsmen how to counter reverse swing — the traditional secret weapon of Pakistanis. “Look, what I am only worried about is that he does not give them tips on how to play reverse swing for which our team has developed a special batting strategy to counter. If he is giving their bowlers tips on how to reverse swing the ball there is nothing wrong because a bowler must have the ability to pick up the art. “But telling another team trade secrets like how to play reverse swing, I don’t think he would do it and I hope he is not doing it,” Miandad was quoted as saying by the local daily ‘The News’ after his return from New Zealand yesterday. Pathan, described by many as an Akram look-alike, wreaked havoc here when he played a few months ago in the Asian under-19 one-day championship matches in which he demolished Bangladesh with a record nine-wicket haul following match winning performances against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Miandad left the “moral and ethical” issues of coaching to Akram, saying the gritty Pakistani fast bowler was mature enough to realise the sensitivities involved. “As a former player I know that in international cricket players do help out each other. Lots of people have approached me for advice if they have been going through a rough time. Similarly, I have also sought some advice at times,” he said. He also insisted that if Akram was being paid to assist the Indian bowlers, there was nothing wrong with it. “I don’t think so. He is a professional cricketer and if someone wants to pay him for his expertise, fine, what is wrong with it?” The daily said normally one would have appreciated Akram for the time he is willing to spend to pass on his art to a keen learner like Pathan. But in the background of India’s scheduled tour of Pakistan in March-April for which Pathan appears a certain selection, clearly questions will be asked where Akram’s priorities lie. Pakistan Cricket Board CEO Ramiz Raja tried to defend Akram’s unofficial coaching of Indian bowlers by stating that he could not help doing it as he was an international celebrity. Miandad, meanwhile, was also not worried over the form of a resurgent Indian cricket team. “India is playing very good cricket at the moment and obviously they would come here buoyed by their performance in Australia. But I am confident that our side has the spirit and ability to give them a tough fight.” Team manager Haroon Rashid was also confident of the side countering the challenge of the sub-continental rivals. “It is going to be an emotionally charged series and I think our players are perfectly capable of lifting their game accordingly,” Rashid said. — PTI
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KOLKATA: In a bid to realise the maximum financial benefit from the historic India-Pakistan Test series in March-April, the Pakistan Cricket Board for the first time will explore the cricket-obsessed Indian market. The Lahore-based PCB on Friday came out with prominent advertisements in leading Indian newspapers inviting bids from the Indian companies for the title sponsorship and other rights for the Test match as well as one-day international series between the traditional rivals. Confirming that this is for the first time that PCB has invited bids from Indian companies to sponsor a cricket series in Pakistan, General Manager (Media) Sami Burnie of PCB said from Lahore, “we want to explore all possible avenues for proper marketing of the event”. — PTI
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Pak repose faith
in Inzamam Karachi, January 23 “It is a well thought out decision taken in consultation with chief executive Rameez Raja and Chairman of selectors Wasim Bari,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shaharyar Khan said in a statement.
— Reuters |
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Agassi,
Safin, Henin enter fourth round
Melbourne, January 23 The 33-year-old American pulled level at 5-5 in head-to-heads with Sweden’s Enqvist, a finalist here in 1999. Agassi wrapped up the first set in 21 minutes with a second-service ace. In a decisive fifth game in the third, Enqvist had three break-point chances but failed to convert. Agassi held when he got the benefit of an over-rule from chair umpire Gerry Armstrong, who judged that Enqvist’s forehand was out. Enqvist complained about the call, saying Armstrong “would never have done that” if it wasn’t Agassi at the other end. Unsettled, Enqvist dropped serve to fall behind 2-4 and lost his last chance of getting back into the match. Top-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne rallied from a break down in the second set to beat Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-2, 7-5 today to advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open. Henin-Hardenne, the defending Wimbledon and the US Open champion, was broken twice in the second set and trailed 3-5 before breaking back and taking advantage of unforced errors by the 18-year-old Kuznetsova to win four consecutive games and the match. Marat Safin used a string of powerful backhand returns in the last set to beat Todd Martin 7-5, 1-6, 4-6, 6-0, 7-5 and move into a fourth-round match against James Blake. The three-hour, 25-minute match ended when the 23-year-old Russian whipp d a crosscourt return at Martin’s feet on his first match point. Safin was demonstrative throughout the second and third sets as he muttered to himself, slammed his racket into the court and received a code violation for smacking a ball out of the arena. He settled down in the fourth set, however, while Martin began disputing line calls. Safin, the 2000 US Open champion and runner-up here in 2002, saw his ranking slump to No. 86 as he struggled with wrist problems last season. Blake needed just 75 minutes to beat France’s Olivier Patience 6-1, 6-3, 6-2, conceding only one break point as he dropped serve when trying to close the match at 5-0 in the third set. Otherwise, he was on his game, hitting 41 winners to Patience’s 12 and winning 25 of the 30 times he went to the net. He gave Patience only one break-point opportunity. Thailand’s Paradorn Srichaphan, seeded 13th, hit 49 winners to beat 19th-seeded Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil 6-3, 7-5, 6-4. On the women’s side, fourth-seeded Amelie Mauresmo had little trouble beating Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain 6-1, 6-2 and fifth-seeded Lindsay Davenport, the 2000 Australian Open champion, beat fellow American Laura Granville 6-4, 6-0. Mauresmo dropped serve once in the second set and needed treatment for her lower left leg at 3-2. Upon returning, she lost only one point before clinching a fourth-round berth with a drop volley. Russia’s Vera Zvonareva, seeded 11th, beat Nicole Pratt 7-5, 2-6, 6-1; 32nd-seeded Fabiola Zuluaga of Columbia was a 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-2 winner over American Jill Craybas; and Australia’s Alicia Molik overcame Claudine Schaul of Luxembourg 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 6-2. — AP
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Paes-Martina move into second round
Melbourne, January 23 Paes and Navratilova, seeded fourth in the mixed doubles, beat Chris Haggard of South Africa and Emilie Loit of France 6-3, 7-6 (3) in a featured first-round match at Rod Laver Arena.
Navratilova claimed a record-tying 20th Wimbledon title last year by winning the mixed doubles with Paes, and the pair also won the Australian title last year. Paes was treated for the last four months of the year in Orlando, Florida, after tests in August revealed that he had a parasitic infection that causes brain abscess. He said in Orlando that he first noticed symptoms, such as dizziness, during the mixed doubles quarterfinal at Wimbledon. “I actually came up to hit a smash and when I landed on the ground, something must have shaken inside my brain because I lost all sight,” said Paes. “I lost all control of my balance and I was falling down.” Today, he thanked Navratilova for helping him during his recovery. “The last six months have been a trying time, and she’s been such an inspiration to me,” Paes told the center-court crowd after their win. “Thanks for making this such a great return, and to everyone in India, it’s great to be back.” Paes and his partner, Tomas Cibulec of the Czech Republic had lost in the first round in men’s doubles at Melbourne Park yesterday. NEW DELHI: Second seeds Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi of Belarus registered an unconvincing victory over Julien Benneteau and Arnaud Clement of France to scramble into the third round of men’s doubles. Bhupathi and Mirnyi were hardly near their best form against the unseeded French pair but still came out victors recording a hard fought 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-4 win in the second round, according to information received here. The duo will now take on Hicham Arazi of Morocco and Nicolas Mahut of France who upset the 16th-seeded pair in three sets today.
— AP/PTI
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Punjab cops lift hockey trophy Kota, January 23 Centre forward Gurjant Singh converted a penalty corner into the first field goal in the eighth minute of the game. The Punjab Police were leading with 1-0 at the half time as their opponents could not utilise the three penalty corners they received in the first half. In the later session, right half Satvinder (16th) scored second goal for the Punjab Police while the hapless rivals again failed to benefit from their penalty corners in the second half.
— PTI |
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Chennai, January 23 In the girls’s singles, fifth-seed Janani Suresh of Tamil Nadu upstaged fourth seeded Prarchi Nadkarni of Maharashtra 6-1, 6-2 to set up a title clash with seventh-seed Inayat Khosla of Chandigarh, who defeated sixth-seed Janaki S Rao of Andhra Pradesh 6-4, 6-2 . — UNI
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