 |
|
|
An outstanding series, says Ganguly
Indians looked
jaded in the finals Maximum security for Indian team
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greg Rusedski optimistic
Ronak Pandit shoots gold in Asian meet East
Bengal win AFC Cup opener Indian footballers on
FIFA drug-watch list Karun Chandhok moves up Top golfers for Forest Hill Open Girls need to work on fitness, says Stokes National Hockey League likely in September Territorial Army sports units mooted
|
|
An outstanding series, says Ganguly
Kolkata, February 10 “It was an outstanding series despite the loss in the finals of tri-series,” Ganguly, who reached here this morning after the arduous tour of Australia, told newsmen at the airport. Ganguly claimed that “it was the best-ever Indian team to tour Australia. Nobody had dominated the Test series in the past as we did.” To a query on the debacle in the finals, the Indian skipper attributed it to the injury factor which robbed the visitors the services of two of their best bowlers. “It is the injury factor .... we did not get the services of two of our best bowlers,” he said. Asked whether injuries were responsible for the team’s bad performance towards the end of the long tour, Ganguly said: “Yes, the injury factor did hamper our performance in the one-dayers. We missed a few key players but we played to the best of our capabilities.” The Indian captain, however, complimented the Australian team for their convincing win in the VB series saying “I must say that in the finals we were beaten by a superior side which outplayed us.” To a query whether the tight schedule of the long tour had anything to do with the performance, he said “it was a long tour but we knew about it in advance. The itinerary was not a problem, it was pre-planned.” Ganguly said that the Indian team gained a lot from the tour as a number of youngsters like rookie pacers Irfan Pathan and Laxmipathy Balaji emerged from the series. “They (Pathan and Balaji) bowled very well but conceded too many runs apparently due to their inexperience,” Ganguly said. Asked about reports that he had expressed security concerns for the forthcoming Pakistan tour, the Indian skipper avoided any clear cut answer saying the matter would be decided on the basis of a report by a Cricket Board delegation now in Pakistan. “A delegation has gone to see security arrangements. We have to wait and see what is its report. It is too early to comment on the issue,” Ganguly said. A three-member BCCI delegation headed by Joint Secretary Ratnakar Shetty is in Pakistan to oversee the security arrangements at all the venues. — PTI
|
|
Indians
looked jaded in the finals If the Australian bowlers won the first final at Melbourne within the first 15 overs, the Australian batsmen did the same in the second final at Sydney. As we dispersed after collecting the VB Series Trophy, every member in the team had the satisfaction of having contributed to the way we played in the finals. I really enjoyed both games, and am now bowling as well as I did at the World Cup. The mental benefits that both Jason Gillespie and I gained in Perth gave us enough energy and momentum to take us through the most crucial phase of the tournament. However, my standout memory of the second final will have to be the catches I took to dismiss the Indian openers Sehwag and Sachin. Having been at the receiving end of their onslaughts a couple of times, it’s great to be involved in their dismissal, even as a fielder. I normally catch my breath in the deep when I’m bowling from the other end, but when Ricky called fine leg in, I was fielding within the circle at the start of the innings itself. Ricky made me move a couple of metres to my right just a couple of minutes before Sehwag’s catch came, so he must get some credit for it as well. I would rate that catch as the best one I’ve taken, because the ball was travelling real fast. I still managed to follow the ball right through and stuck out my hand at the right moment. It was a magical moment because Sehwag was showing ominous signs. When Sachin’s catch came in the same direction I thought all my Christmases were coming at the same time! While it was great to finally get back at the Indian batsmen, I think they looked a little jaded in the finals. It had been a tough and intense kind of tour, and they seemed to have run out of energy. Almost all of them had played a crucial hand at some point of the series, and they all looked ready to take the flight home. I was quick to sense this, and ensured that we went in for the kill when the trophy was at stake. I know that supporters of the Indian team would be dejected by the way the batting crumbled in the finals. However, I still maintain that this batting line-up is the best I have bowled to in my career. The only one that is as good as theirs is our batting, and fortunately I don’t have to plot against them at the highest level. A batting line-up with Sachin, Laxman, Dravid, Sehwag and Ganguly has talent, aggression, style and experience. They may not have come off well in the finals, but right through the tour, they mesmerised the Australian crowds with their awesome talent. It will be great to resume this contest during the Champions Trophy and later when we travel to India. I have always wanted to play Tests there since I’ve heard stories about the crowds and passion for Test cricket from my teammates. It will also be great to catch up with some of my mates in the Indian team. Laxman, whom I’ve known since our days in the junior circuit, handed me a wedding invitation before the finals. Since I won’t be able to make it to Hyderabad, we had a couple of drinks before he left for India. I wish him all the best for the big day, and certainly wish I could have been there to witness an Indian wedding.
— Gameplan |
|
Maximum security for Indian team Islamabad, February 10 The security of the Indian team during the six-week tour dominated the agenda. An officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police would accompany the team throughout the tour, the meeting was told.
— IANS Series sponsors NEW DELHI: Consumer electronics firm Samsung today bagged the coveted title sponsorship rights for the cricket series between India and Pakistan beginning next month. “Cricket fans in both countries are eagerly waiting for this series to take place and sponsors have shown a keen interest in procuring the title rights for this coveted series. I am very pleased to announce that Samsung has won the rights of title sponsorship for the India-Pakistan Test and ODI series taking place in Pakistan,” a Samsung statement quoted Pakistan Cricket Board chief Shaharyar Khan as saying.
— PTI |
|
Melbourne, February 10 The world’s leading leg-spinner did not get a chance to bowl as rain halted play shortly after Victoria declared its innings closed at 379 for five. Warne, who missed the opening day of the match so he could serve out the last day of his suspension, scored 11 runs before he was caught behind off Steve Magoffin. His dismissal prompted Victoria’s declaration. Queensland Academy reached 87 for one in reply before a three-hour rain delay forced umpires to call stumps early. An estimated crowd of 800 people, including dozens of journalists and six TV cameras attended Junction Oval for the match and Warne’s participation was extensively reported in the national media. Warne, who is pushing for selection for the Test series in Sri Lanka next month, is expected to bowl tomorrow and again for the top Victorian XI in a limited-overs match against Tasmania on Saturday. Victoria selector Mick O’Sullivan said that although many of the state’s second-string players had never met Warne, his addition to the team was positive. — AP
|
|
ITF junior meet Chandigarh, February 10 Winners included top seeds Rupesh Roy of India in the boys section and I-Hsuan Hwang of Taiwan in the girls section.
Goswami came out on top in a tough match which saw plenty of errors from both the players. After a close first set which Goswami won 7-5, Bhat won the second 6-4. Goswami took the final set 6-4 to wrap up the match in 218 minutes. The match witnessed numerous breaks of service as well as double faults and aces. In the boys section, eighth-seeded Xion-Peng Lai of Hong Kong fell to qualifier Lior Barbash of Israel in three sets. Lai, who had an easy first round match against Maxim Filippov of Kazakhstan, lost the first set 3-6 but came back strongly to level the match by winning the second set 6-2. He, however, lost steam in the decisive set as Barbash easily took the third set 6-2. Top seed Rupesh Roy was made to work hard in the first set by qualifier Guy Kobi of Israel. Roy won the set 7-5 and then took the second set 6-2. Navdeep Singh had an easier match as he won 6-3, 6-0 against Jamolkhon Umarov of Uzbekistan. Another Indian to enter the quarterfinals was Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan, who defeated Sergey Ni of Krgystan 6-1, 6-4. Roy will next take on Naoki Sato of Japan, who almost blanked Krishank Shah of India 6-0, 6-1 while Navdeep Singh will meet Roman Kelecic of Croatia. Kelecic defeated Sahar Shimiel of Israel 6-2, 6-1. In other matches Martin Sayer of Hong Kong defeated Jatin Bishnoi of India 6-3, 7-5 while Faris Khatib of the UK stopped the progress of India's Vivek Shokeen 6-4, 6-3. In the girls section, top-seeded I-Hsuan Hwang served notice to her rivals as she blanked Oormila Ram of India 6-0, 6-0. Madura Rangnathan was also impressive in her 6-1, 6-4 victory over Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium. Vandana Murali and Punam S Reddy were the other Indians to advance. Murali easily got past Poojashree Venkatesh 6-3, 6-2 while Reddy had to fight hard for her 7-5, 7-6(7/3) victory over Xeniya Palkina. Hwang will take on Murali in the quarterfinals while Goswami will meet Yana Nemerovski, who defeated Penporn Chantawannop of Thailand 6-3, 6-2. |
|
Greg Rusedski
optimistic LONDON: British number two Greg Rusedski on Tuesday said he was “cautiously optimistic” about the outcome of his drugs hearing in Montreal.
“I’m confident and we’ll just have to wait and see,” Rusedski, who was accompanied by his wife Lucy, said at Heathrow airport. “We’re cautiously optimistic so we are just hoping for the best,” added the 30-year-old who tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone during a tournament in Indianapolis in July. Rusedski, who has denied knowingly taking. performance-enhancing drugs, was grilled in Montreal by a three-man panel appointed by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).
— Reuters
|
|
Ronak Pandit shoots gold in Asian meet New Delhi, February 10 National Rifle Association of India secretary Rajiv Bhatia said here today that it was a satisfying day for India as the team also won the bronze in the women's air pistol team event. India had a combined score of 1134 out of 1200 with the individual shooters hitting targets of 380 (Anisa Syyed), 380 (Shweta Chaudhary) and 374 (Sushma Rana). China won the gold with a score of 1155 while Japan took the silver, totalling 1136. Although Anisa Syyed and Shweta Chaudhary shot identical scores of 380 out of 400, but on the last card basis, Anisa Syyed got the berth in the "finals". She, however, finished eighth with a total score of 472.9. China took the first two positions with scores of (485.8) and 483.4 while Japan finished third, scoring 483.0. Indian shooters were leading in the trap event after two rounds with Mansher Singh heading the table shooting 49 out of 50. Manavjit Singh shot 48 and Anwer Sultan scored 47. The next 75 birds will be fired tomorrow and the medallists will be decided after 125 shots. |
|
|
East Bengal
win AFC Cup opener
New Delhi, February 10 But Geyland’s lead proved to be shortlived as two minutes later East Bengal equalised through their Brazilian import Christiano Junior. The first half ended with a 1-1 scoreline. It were the visitors who went 2-1 up in the second half when Junior again succeeded in slotting home in the 71st minute. East Bengal made it 3-1 when Bijen Singh found the net with seven minutes remaining on the clock. Geyland raised hopes of a comeback with a goal in the injury time through Jeyapal (3-2) but their attempts for a an equaliser were thwarted effectively by the Bengal defence.
— PTI
|
|
Indian footballers on
FIFA drug-watch list
Kolkata, February 10 Doping committee chairman Nisith Ranjan Choudhury reportedly came across prescriptions of some players that recommended the use of steroids. Mr Choudhury is also a medical officer with
FIFA.
The AIFF has also reportedly warned the club concerned so that the players can be asked to mend their ways. Mr Choudhury reportedly found in the players’ prescriptions that steroid use had been recommended beyond the needs of medical treatment of ailments like fracture and ligament sprains. The Indian sports establishment doesn’t have a regulated system to monitor doping, with the situation in football being no different. Sportspersons don’t regularly monitor their health drinks or medicines their doctors prescribe. “Steroid use is rampant in cases where a player wants speedy recovery. Performance-enhancing drugs are also common. “FIFA has provisions for penalising even the doctor who prescribes banned drugs,” the sources said.
— IANS |
|
|
London, February 10 The team and Karun had a successful year together in 2003, winning eight races and finishing a close third in the championship standings, making him the most successful Indian at this level of racing. “I am really happy to announce that I’m back with T-Sport for the 2004 season. For the Championship class we use a new chasis and it’ll mean a lot of hard work developing it and finding the right setup to suit my driving. I can’t wait to get going,” Karun said in a statement. — UNI
|
|
Top golfers for Forest Hill Open Chandigarh, February 10 The inaugural Forest Hill Golf Open, sponsored by WWICS, was staged from October 16 to 19 in 2002. That event, a part of the 2002-03 Hero Honda Golf Tour season, was won by the then uncrowned king of Indian golf, Mukesh Kumar, who went on to finish the season with 10 wins fetching him prize money earnings of nearly Rs 22 lakh. This year, Hero Honda Indian PGA Tour event has gone to Air Canada and has been co-sponsored by Airtel. The tournament has attracted a full-strength field led by defending champion Mukesh Kumar. Mukesh returns to the challenging golf facility with the experience of a season on the Asian PGA Tour under his belt. Among the other big names slated to participate include the likes of second-ranked golfer on the 2003-04 Hero Honda Golf Tour and winner of two tournaments this season, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia; veteran Lucknow golfer and Hero Honda Open West 204 winner, Vijay Kumari; Chennai’s talented rookie Sandeep Syal; twice Indian Open winner Ali Sher; and a number of talented golfers like Rafiq Ali and Zai Kipgen to name a few. The golf course is constructed on an undulated terrain, where accuracy and course planning more than distance is a pre-requisite for success. The course boasts of a few holes which will give the best in the business a run for their money. The par-3 second hole requires a golfer to aim at what looks like a miniature green from a tee, situated a hundred steps high on a hill, a gaping water-body lies in-between, while thickly forested hills guard the green on three other sides. The par-4 fourth-hole requires an accurate landing onto a ribbon like fairway from an even higher platform. Stray shots on the Forest Hill Golf Resort attract heavy penalties. With the top names of Indian golf competing for supremacy on such a challenging facility, there are bound to be fireworks. Chandigarh golf lovers are in for a treat they will for long remember. |
|
Girls need to work on fitness, says Stokes Shimla, February 10 Mrs Vidya Stokes, President of the federation, said that the Indian team had been on a winning
spree and the latest victory over the formidable Japan in the recent Asia Cup had ensured it a berth in the World Cup to be held at Madrid in 2006. Despite the consistent performance of the team the physical fitness of the girls required attention. The girls remained in good shape during training camps as they got the proper diet. However, when they go home for long periods, their fitness level deteriorates. In some cases the homoglobin dwindled from 12 and 13 to around 9. The failure to take advantage of penalty corners was a major weakness. During the recent Asia Cup only one out of 11 penalty corners awarded to the team was converted into goal. Six junior players who played the Asia Cup did well, indicating a bright future for women hockey. Helen, the acrobatic goal keeper, had made all the difference in the fortunes of the team. She said the federation had decided to give a cash reward of Rs 25,000 to each members of the winning team. The federation was now gearing up to host Asia Cup for juniors to be held at Hyderabad later this year.
|
|
National Hockey League likely in September
New Delhi, February 10 “The NHL is all set to roll. It has been tentatively decided to launch this mega show in September after the Athens Olympics. The countdown has begun,” IHF secretary-general K. Jothikumaran said in a Press note here. The league would feature 10 teams divided into two tiers - the Premier and the 1st Division. Each team will be allowed to take a certain number of foreign players to ensure “the best of world’s talent on display”. The NHL would not only provide better income for domestic players but also give them the opportunity to play alongside foreign players. Till now, in the absence of NHL, the Indian players were going abroad for playing in other country’s leagues. IHF president K.P.S. Gill said the league would provide the players with more opportunity to showcase their talent. — PTI
|
|
|
Territorial Army sports units mooted Chandigarh, February 10 The concept involves enrolment of sportspersons as Territorial Army (TA) volunteers who would be considered embodied whenever they are participating in sports competitions or training activities. During this period they will be considered as representing the Army. A paper presented to the
GOC-in-C Western Command last month by a locally-based TA officer, Capt Navdeep Singh, was subsequently discussed at the Formation Commanders Conference, where its implementation of the concept was reportedly approved. Though the officer was not available for comments, sources at Headquarters Western Command said that the paper has been forwarded to Army Headquarters and the Army Sports Control Board for further implementation. The Army has a recruitment quota for outstanding sportspersons, but the concept would result in substantial savings for the Army since the volunteers would be paid only for the brief period of embodiment. This concept is also ideal for good sports persons who would not like to make the Armed Forces their career. The paper suggests that women volunteers may also be recruited in such units. “One reason why quality sports persons, particularly from middle and upper classes, are not joining the Army is that they do not want to be bound to this profession,” an officer remarked. The Army, according to the concept paper, would give the volunteers all possible support. The Army has a rich infrastructure, accommodation and administrative support for sports persons. The paper proposes that such sports TA units be based near regimental centres, nodal centres of the Sports Authority of India or military stations where the requisite training and administrative infrastructure is available. There are numerous cases where outstanding sportspersons are employed in the private sector or organisations were they are unable to participate in sports competitions for the simple reasons that facilities for the same do not exit.There are also a good number of individuals in agricultural or business vocations who pursue sports. |
|
|
Fans run riot Tunis, February 10 Trouble broke out at the Sfax ground after Youssef Hadji had put Morocco in front in extra-time in Sunday’s match on the team’s way to a 3-1 win.
— AFP |
| 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 | |
In video: (
