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Jittery India carve out four-wicket win
India will carry no scars, says Dravid Lee’s return to form a danger for India Australia recalls Kasprowicz Bichel flays Aussie ‘double standards’ |
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ICC award India look to top pool in Hockey series God-sent opportunity: Rajinder Constantine confident of a good showing AFC Cup TV Blitz Chess YMCA
Boxing Championship Harjinder scripts Punjab cops’ win Advani retains crown ITI Zonal Games results
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Jittery India carve out
four-wicket win
Melbourne, February 3 Vangipurappu Laxman, who has made three centuries in the triangular series against Australia and Zimbabwe, took four catches at second slip, one short of the world record set by South Africa’s Jonty Rhodes against West Indies 10 years ago. Stuart Matsikenyeri top-scored with 36 during a Zimbabwe innings which lasted just 34.4 overs on the fast and bouncy WACA Ground wicket. The match was of limited significance, with India and Australia already qualified for the best-of-three final. But the 19-year-old Pathan took his chance immediately after being mauled by Australia two days before when taking two for 69 from eight overs. The left-armer, playing his eighth One-Day International, dismissed both Zimbabwe openers in the first over. Vusi Sibanda was caught by Laxman for a duck and Tatenda Taibu played around an inswinger and was lbw first ball. Dion Ebrahim was caught by Laxman off Pathan for seven to leave the touring side reeling at 11 for three in the seventh over. Left-hander Ervine and Stuart Carlisle steadied matters with a 63-run partnership for the fourth wicket before the innings folded. Ray Price was Pathan’s last victim, caught without scoring by Laxman. India struggled to 115 for six in 26.4 overs, Sachin Tendulkar falling to Heath Streak for just three, before Hemang Badani and Pathan added the required 21 runs, with the winning boundary coming in the 31st over. Left-hander Badani top-scored for India with a patient 34. Laxman made 32 before he was hit on the chest by a Sean Ervine bouncer and the ball dropped onto his stumps. India rested skipper Saurav Ganguly, Ajit Agarkar and Murali Kartik before the start of the final series on Friday in Melbourne. Zimbabwe finished without a win from eight matches. Man of the Match: Irfan Pathan. SCOREBOARD Zimbabwe: Sibanda c Laxman b Pathan 0 Taibu lbw b Pathan 0 Carlisle run out 28 Ebrahim c Laxman b Ervine c Kartik (sub) b Streak c Laxman b Balaji 6 Matsikenyeri c Dravid b Friend c Gavaskar b Blignaut c Sehwag b Price c Laxman b Mahwire not out 8 Extras
(lb-9 w-15) 24 Total (all out, 34.4 Fall of wickets:
1-0, 2-1, 3-11, 4-74, 5-79, 6-85, 7-103, 8-114, 9-115. Bowling:
Pathan 10-1-24-4 (w-3), Balaji 10-1-32-1 (w-8), Nehra 7-1-39-1 (w-2), Bhandari 7.4-0-31-3 (w-2). India: Tendulkar c Taibu Sehwag c Matsikenyeri b Laxman b Ervine 32 Dravid b Blignaut 10 Yuvraj c Friend b Ervine 4 Badani not out 34 Gavaskar run out 4 Pathan not out 3 Extras
(lb-6 w-15 nb-2) 23 Total (for six wickets, Fall of wickets:
1-28, 2-34, 3-61, 4-73, 5-105, 6-115. Bowling: Streak 7-0-36-1 (w-4), Blignaut 10-0-41-2 (nb-2, w-4), Ervine 8.3-2-29-2 (w-2), Friend 5-0-24-0 (w-5).
— Reuters
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India will carry no scars, says Dravid
Perth, February 3 “I think our bowlers did better than our batsmen in these conditions. I think we could have batted better,” said Dravid after his side survived a scare before beating Zimbabwe by four wickets in the final league game of the cricket tri-series. “But the finals are a fresh game and a fresh start. Everyone starts with a clean slate. There are no psychological winners,” he said. India were thrashed by five wickets by Australia here on Sunday with Brett Lee unleashing a fiery spell of 10 overs which fetched him three wickets for 22 runs. But Dravid sought to defend his batsmen saying they would have adjusted with some more time. “It definitely is one of the bounciest pitches I have come across. The bounce here is a bit unique. But given some time, I am sure our batsmen would have adjusted here as well. “It is not the easiest of wickets to get used to. We played only two one-day games here so it can get tough. But once you are set, you can play your shots here. It had more pace today than Sunday as it had probably dried up,” he said. — PTI
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Lee’s return to form a danger for India Brett Lee has thanked Dennis Lillee profusely for bringing him back to form. Having been deluged with doubt when he returned in the Test series against India after a bout of injuries, Lee finds himself slipping into the kind of physical, mental and bowling shape to justify the tag of spearhead of the Australian pace attack. While taking lessons cannot be a new thing for Lee, coaching an Australian down under must be a new experience for Lillee, the international pace guru, who has taught many a pace bowler all the tricks in the trade from his pace academy in Chennai. Lillee has had many a famous fellow countryman flying out to his teaching base in our country for lessons or consultation. Consultancy over telephone from across Australia to correct a great fast bowler and talk him back to form is just one more feather in Lillee’s much decorated cap. Many a fast bowler around the cricket world owes the Western Australian a huge debt of gratitude for either bringing them to the international arena or helping them stay there. Lee is just another who has benefited from talking fast bowling with a guru who is as happy working with a side-on fast bowler as a chest-on purveyor of express speed. Lee’s return to form may not be the huge threat that the Aussies can make it out to be. But the timing of it is somewhat bad for the Indians who go into the VB Series finals later this week. As Ganguly has been so insistent on spelling out, Melbourne and Sydney are far more favourable venues for his team. Forget the sojourn to Perth. The finals will be a lot closer because this Indian team has picked up a major fan following this season for the guts it has shown even if the only prize earned so far is the retention of the Gavaskar-Border Trophy. Ganguly’s men have won no silverware in more than a year since sharing the Champions Trophy in Colombo. Also, the Indians have a great chance to correct a 21-year record. They have not won a single final in a tri-series in Australia where their greatest victory came in the WCC of 1985 in which all seven (then) Test-playing nations took part. But in two appearances in tri-series finals in 1985-86 and in 1991-92, both against Australia, India have not won a single match. Mind you, winning the tri-series in Australia is one of the toughest tasks in the game. The frequency of the matches, the intensity of competition and the criss-crossing of the continent-nation leaves any team so exhausted that putting eleven fit men on the arena in the finals becomes a huge task for the major visiting team. |
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Australia recalls Kasprowicz Sydney: Australia dropped paceman Andy Bichel and included Michael Kasprowicz in the squad for the best-of-three triangular series finals against India, Cricket Australia announced on Tuesday. Australia also retained Simon Katich while discarding Western Australian Michael Hussey, who had replaced the injured Michael Bevan in their match against India in Perth last Sunday. Trevor
Hohns, chairman of national selection panel, said Bichel paid for his poor form while Kasprowicz returned to one-day international action following his role in Australia’s success at the 2003 TVS Cup in India. Australia:
Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist (vice-captain), Michael Clarke, Jason Gillespie, Ian Harvey, Matthew Hayden, Brad
Hogg, Michael Kasprowicz, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds and Brad Williams.
— PTI
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Bichel flays Aussie ‘double standards’ Melbourne, February 3 The hard-working Queenslander, who was also dropped during the Test series against India, felt he was not given as many chances as some of his team-mates. “Maybe there are double standards and that’s the disappointing factor, knowing that I have so many supporters out there who are right behind me,” Bichel told reporters in Brisbane today. “But that’s the way it is and you have to take it on the chin.” He said being dropped from the Test side had been “hard to swallow”, adding: “I probably don’t play the media bandwagon too much”. “I think you get that in every sporting team around the world, there are different guys who get the limelight.” Bichel was a huge success at last year’s World Cup, taking 16 wickets at an average of 12.31 while contributing significantly as a lower-order batsman, but has only managed three wickets for 197 from six matches in the triangular series against India and Zimbabwe. Australia chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said in a statement: “It is fair to say that Andy Bichel has not been bowling as well as we would like and we feel that a spell at state level might help him recapture his form.” Some of Bichel’s team-mates have also struggled. Brett Lee, the blond pin-up boy of Australia cricket who endorses a wide range of products, took one for 83 in a one-day match against India in Brisbane in January but has since returned to form. — UNI
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ICC award London: Nepalese administrator Jai Kumar Nath Shah was given the first-ever lifetime services award in the second ICC Development Program Global Awards-2003.
During his tenure Nepal’s junior cricket team qualified for the ICC U-19 cricket World Cup in Bangladesh, beginning February 15. The judging panel comprised ICC president Ehsan Mani, former ICC president Malcolm Gray, ICC cricket World Cup Executive Director Dr Ali Bacher and secretary Roger Knight.
— PTI
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India look to top pool in Asia Cup New Delhi, February 3 Only a miracle can deny the hosts a place in the last
Whether India would top the pool depends on how well they crush Kazakhstan. The Kazakhs have proved to be the whipping girls, having lost to China 1-4 and Malaysia 0-2. China, who drew with India 1-1 yesterday, take on Malaysia in the first match tomorrow morning. China hold a one-goal edge over India as they have scored five and conceded only two whereas India have conceded three and scored five. The calculations can go awry only if Malaysia upset China and India lose to Kazakhstan. China, the Asian Games champions, have not brought their best team. They were, in fact, lucky to share points with India, with the hosts failing to cash in on their innumerable chances. When India take the field against Kazakhstan tomorrow, the pool position would have been clear and the hosts would know how many goals they need to score to top the pool. It does not really matter which team India run into in the semifinal — Korea or Japan. Korea and Japan have displayed devastating form to annihilate Singapore and Sri Lanka in their first two Pool B matches. Korea have scored 24 goals in two matches while Japan have knocked in 36 goals. The Korea-Japan match tomorrow is unlikely to be a high-scoring contest, and the winners will take the top slot in the pool. Both the teams have already ensured slots in the semis. |
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Hockey series God-sent opportunity: Rajinder
Hyderabad, February 3 After the practice session at the training camp at Gachibowli today, he refused to read too much into the Indians’ dismal show at the recent Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and said, ‘’it was a big chance for the juniors. Not that they failed, but the lack of experience showed in not converting the chances. A fine balance of seniors and juniors in the squad could have done wonders. But that is a thing of the past. The focus has to be on the daunting task ahead, of making it to the Olympics.” More than the result of the Test series, the immediate objective was to strike the right combination, Rajinder said. “There are a few areas which need polishing. The return of Dilip Tirkey and the first choice goalkeeper Devesh Chauhah along with Gagan Ajit Singh and Prabhjot Singh should restore the confidence.’’ On his opinion about the present Holland squad, short of penalty corner specialists like Paul Litjens and Bovelander, the Indian coach said a champion side like Holland always had the knack of coming up with something extra. “It was a close match we lost to Holland in the last Champions Trophy. The Indians have been on a roll since then. The youngsters have learnt their lessons. It should be an interesting series,’’ he said. During the training, the thrust was on penalty corner conversions. UNI
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Constantine confident of a good showing Margao, February 3 Talking to reporters at Nehru Stadium along with star-striker Baichung Bhutia, Jo Paul Ancheri and Ebbie Kodiattu, he said, “the team spirit is high and fitness level has shown a remarkable importance from the past few seasons. Our boys are much fitter and the recent beep test conducted has shown a rise in the fitness level from 11-15 scale”. The Indian team, in group III are clubbed with Asian powerhouse Japan, Oman and Singapore and will play their first match at home against Singapore on February 18. Later, they will play against Oman on March 31 at Kochi, before moving out to play the away match against Japan on June 9. India’s 36 probables including Kodiattu, who plays in the USA league, are undergoing a vigorous training camp at three different venues here. The Cypriot-born coach said “we are not worried about our opposition as we will take things one at a time. Our first match against unpredictable Singapore is important as we need a good start before we play against Oman at Kochi to keep the momentum going.” The Indian team has made steady progress in recent times winning the LG Cup in 2002 and producing good performances in the England tour and the Afro-Asian Games. The only blemish which was upset is the SAFE Cup which India should have won easily, but for injury to key players contributing to there downfall, he added. The following are the names of the 36 probables. Sangaram Mukerjee, Nandy Sandeep, Nassem Akhtar, Kalyan Chaubey, Narzary Bilifong, Prasanto Dora, Deepak Mondal, Mahesh Gawali, D Ghosh, M. Suresh, S. Bharti, M.H. Rahman, Selwyn Fernandes, Vini Jose, Tomba Singh, Climax Lawrence, Jatin Bist, Gurjinder Singh, Renedy Singh, Sameer Naik, Khalid Jamil, S. Venkatesh, Jotin Singh, Mangi Singh, S. Chakrborthy, Alvito D’ Cunha, J.P. Anchery, Sangha Hardeep, Baichung Bhutia, Anil Biswas, Abhishek Yadav, I Ahmed, V. Periyar, S.K. Sanjeev, Freedy Mascarenhas and Ebbie Kodiattu. — PTI
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AFC Cup
Kolkata, February 3 “If we can get one point from the match, I have confidence that my team may reach the semifinal,” he said here today. Emboldened by the return of eight of his key players from the pre-world cup qualifying camp now on in Goa for the Geylong outing, Bhowmick said “the boys are very serious, the club officials are also giving me all assistance. If we could do it in the ASEAN Cup, why can’t we do it now?”. Bhowmick coached East Bengal to the historic ASEAN cup triumph last year in Jakarta which enthralled the entire nation. The local giants have been clubbed with Geylong, Island FC of Maldives and Malaysia’s Negri Sembilan in group E in the Cup’s opening round to be played on home and away basis. Bhowmick, who has been slapped with a two-year ban by the Indian football Association for making derogatory remarks against it, said the punitive action would have no bearing on his team’s opening round cup campaign. “I’m now only concerned with Geylang match. All other things come second”. The red and gold brigade have already started a residential camp in the same five star hotel, where they fine-tuned their skills before the Jakarta venture. However, Bhowmick said injuries to key players have put a spanner in his works. Brazilian Douglas de Silva is ruled out of action, while Ghanaian defender Suley Musah and M Suresh are also uncertain. “If I can make them even 60 per cent fit, my club will do well,” Bhowmick said. Coached by Scott O’donnel, adjudged S-league’s coach of the year last year, Geylang are a formidable outfit, having in their ranks four members of the country’s current national squad. Goalkeeper Shahril Jantan, defender Noh Rahman and medios Hasrin Jailani and Rudy Khairon would hope to put their international experience to good use against East Bengal, and Bhowmick was now busy doing his homework on the Singapore side. Free kick specialist Khairon is the most capped player, having done duty for the national side in 39 matches. “The club finished second in the S-league last year, scoring 77 goals in 33 matches,” he said. A key feature of Geylang is the presence of four foreigners, three Australians and a Chinese. Daniel Hill, the six feet plus Aussie, is the fulcrum of the defence. Adjudged defender of the year in the S-leauge last year, Hill has an attacking flair and can also score goals. Australian defensive midfielder Milan Blagojevic, his compatriot Aleksandar Duric and Chinese striker Chang Hui are the other foreign imports in the side. Duric is a lethal upfronter, having finished as the second highest scorer in the previous edition of the S-league. Following is the cup fixture for East Bengal: February 10: vs Geylang FC in Singapore February 25: vs Negri Sembilan in Kolkata April 7: vs Island FC in Maldives April 21: vs Island FC in Kolkata May 5: Geylang FC in Kolkata May 18: vs Negri Sembilan in Malaysia. — PTI
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TV Blitz Chess
New Delhi, February 3 Anand won the first game with black pieces and then drew the second with white to score over the Bulgarian, according to information received here today. Both games were in the Sicilian, the first being a Sicilian Paulsen which lasted 42 moves. The second was a Sicilian-Sveshnikov which lasted 31 moves before Topalov realised he did not have a chance to win and took a draw. The games were played on a format of 10 minute per player with no increments for each move. The Indian now has 2766 rating points, while Topalov is more than 30 ELO points behind at 2735. This was the first time that a TV Blitz match was held in Bulgaria. In the past Anand has played such games in Germany. PTI
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YMCA
Boxing Championship
New Delhi, February 3 Amandeep beat A Maksat of Turkmenistan 25-11 in the 54kg senior category. The swift Indian traded skilled punches to dominate throughout while his opponent failed to return the leather with same velocity. Junior national champion Balbir Singh, in a hardfought bout, beat Indonesia’s Dastes 14-26 in the 48kg category. Balbir pounded stiff jabs on his opponent’s face and also countered the attack with some well-timed punches. The Indonesian, though, tackled his rival with good spirit. Atesamuddin, Kapil Kumar, Narender were among the other juniors who fought some really solid matches to record wins. Earlier, Subodh Kumar and Bijender lost their bouts in senior and junior categories respectively. Thailand fought only two bouts and won both while it turned out to be a mixed day for other countries. The championships is reduced to 157 pugilists from 10 countries as five nations — Iran, Japan, England, Kazakhstan and Chinese Taipei — failed to report on the opening day. — PTI
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Harjinder scripts Punjab cops’ win Lucknow, February 3 In the quarter-finals, BSF beat SSB 1-0, Assam Rifles beat Uttar Pradesh 1-0, Punjab Police won against Maharashtra Police 3-0 and Manipur beat CRPF 1-0. In a highly tense match between UP Police and Asssam Rifles, both the teams failed to score in the stipulated 90-minute time and the match went into extra time. In the tie between Punjab Police and Maharashtra Police, the former took 1-0 lead in the sixth minute of the game through Harjinder Singh and maintained this till the breather. After the break, Harjinder again kicked the ball into the goal mouth twice and completed his hat-trick. None of the teams scored a goal in the remaining time.
— UNI |
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Gwalior, February 3 In what turned out to be a repeat of last year’s final at Jammu, Pankaj demolished Rishabh’s challenge as he reduced the summit clash to a totally one sided affair to emerge with a whopping difference of 359 points. The Bangalore-based cueist had four century packed visit to the table-170,132,197 and 155- that left his Maharashtra rival bemused and bewildered. — UNI
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ITI Zonal Games results Amritsar, February 3 In 400 metres (boys) Kartar Singh took the first position. Gurcharan Singh and Jatinder Singh were second and third, respectively. |
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