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Indo-Pak series good
for game,
Notes from Pakistan
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Pakistan earn dubious record Parthiv has bright future, says Healy
South Africans fear
history-making loss
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Indo-Pak series good
for game, says Fazal
Lahore, March 24 “Cricket generates passion and excitement and is a good way to unite the people,” the legendary fast bowler of yesteryears said. “I don’t understand why it took so long to have this series. Why can’t politics be divorced from sports?” he asked. He was of the view that Pakistan has a tradition of producing genuine fast bowlers. “We have a history of good fast bowlers,” he said but was modest about his own contribution. “In my time there were far too many great players, Hanif, Kardar, Imtiaz. They were legends in their own way and now also we have very good cricketers. “The present Pakistani bowlers are fit and strong and they have an aptitude to bowl fast.” He pleaded for more matches between the two countries. “It will help the game and the people. Look at the present series, how much goodwill it has created. The series has been electrifying, I have enjoyed every match.” Fazal said cricket between India and Pakistan has always been ecstatic entertainment. “I can still remember players like Nari Contractor, Vijay Hajare and many others who have been great sporting icons of their nation. But over the years, the modern cricket has become different and much more speedy,” he observed. He said the Indian team has potential and talent to be the top in the world. “They are confident about their actions. However, their bowling is weak. The Indian bowling needs more aggression and power play. Youngsters like Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan are doing well despite India not having their main wicket-taking bowlers like Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. Even Ajit Agarkar and Ashish Nehra are quite hungry for success,” he added. He lavished praise on Sachin Tendulkar saying “he is most gifted batsman. He should have been born in our era, and then I would have played against him. Nevertheless, I am glad that Tendulkar is touched by the hospitality in Pakistan and is enjoying his cricket and playing some wonderful knocks against quality bowlers like Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Sami.”
— UNI |
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Notes from Pakistan Bollywood star and Union Minister of Shipping Shatrughan Sinha has said that cricket has played a vital role in bringing India and Pakistan closer. Speaking at a dinner hosted by Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi for Pakistani and Indian cricket teams, Mr Sinha said that the peace journey had begun, although the goal was yet to be achieved, a report in ‘Daily Times’ said. He added that cricket had played a vital role in bringing the two countries closer. Talking about the final one-dayer between India and Pakistan being played at Lahore today, he said that nothing could be said about the match. “I am not here to see the match,” he said, adding, “The friendly environment and goodwill has attracted me.” He said he was in Pakistan to pave the way for peace and friendship. Indian skipper Saurav Ganguly had a surprise visitor at his Peshawar hotel room last Thursday. A not exactly amused Shoaib Akhtar had come to confront Ganguly over the latter’s oblique reference to the speedster’s bowling action at a press conference in Rawalpindi. “Shoaib went to his room that night and asked him point blank why he was raising doubts about his bowling action and creating an issue out of it when the International Cricket Council and the umpires and match-referee had no problems with it,” a source in the Pakistan team told “The News”. Ganguly told Shoaib that he had misunderstood his statement made at a press conference after the second one-dayer in Rawalpindi. “Ganguly told him that some journalists had asked him what he thought about the beamer Shoaib had bowled to Ramesh Powar in the second match and he had replied: ‘You all saw it on television and can judge for yourselves’,” the source was quoted as saying by the daily today. Ganguly explained to Shoaib that he had never raised questions about his bowling action and his remarks at the conference were not aimed at his action. The Indian skipper, in fact, told the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ that it was the Pakistani media people who were making an issue out of his statement, the source said. “That was all that was exchanged between the two and then Shoaib left Ganguly’s room,” the paper reported. The ongoing cricket series between India and Pakistan has been overtaken completely by the multinational and Indian companies and has marginalised the host country’s industries, according to the local media. The media says that Indian companies have used the pretext of the MNCs to advertise their products in Pakistan. The five star hotels, posh markets and the malls have all been flooded with advertisments of Indian products and the local industralists are watching helplessly. All the MNCs, who are here for the series, have a huge market in India so they are virtually catering to the Indian public while popularising their products in Pakistan.
— UNI |
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Saqlain developing
a ‘teesra’ Lahore, March 24 Saqlain, 27, said he hoped the new variation would help him return during a three-test series against India, starting in Multan on March 28. “I’ve realised it’s necessary to keep on bringing variations into your bowling to survive in the hectic world of international cricket,” he told Reuters today. “There is no survival without variation.” Saqlain, who has grown a beard and leads the prayer congregations of the Pakistan team, has a haul of 207 Test and 288 one-day wickets but has played just one Test and one one-dayer for Pakistan since September last year. He says he is willing to bide his time because his renewed interest in religion has taught him to be patient. However, he stresses his hunger to play for Pakistan has not diminished. “I’ve a strong urge to play in the Tests against India. I knew I’d have to come up with something different to surprise their top-class batting. Thus, the different ball,” he said. Saqlain declined to divulge what his new delivery would do. “I’m still perfecting it,” he said. “Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan and Anil Kumble have also been successful and consistent because of the variations they keep introducing into their bowling.” Pakistan’s chief selector Wasim Bari said Saqlain was being considered for the Tests against India.
— Reuters |
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Pakistan earn
dubious record LAHORE: Pakistan, who have been dogged by the large number of extras conceded during the ongoing one-day cricket series against India, have earned the dubious record of conceding more than 11,000 extra runs, the highest in the history of one-day internationals. When tearaway fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar bowled a no-ball in the first ball of the 37th over to Rahul Dravid in the fourth match of the series here on Sunday, it was the 11,000th extra run conceded by Pakistan which is the only team in world cricket to have given away more than 10,000 extra runs. The famed Pakistani fast bowlers have been guilty of giving away close to 40 runs in extras in most of the matches in the ongoing one-day series against arch rivals India. Pakistan’s aggregate of extra runs stood at 11,001 before the start of the series-decider here today while India was in the second position having conceded 8994 extras so far. Pakistan are also the leaders in conceding most wides (4058), no-balls (1904), byes (816) and leg byes (4223) till now.
— PTI
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Parthiv has bright
future, says Healy Lahore, March 24 ‘’Invest another six months in him and you won’t have to look for another keeper for the next 10 years,’’ said Healy. The Australian predicted that Patel will be one of the best wicketkeepers for India provided he is nurtured and coached well. Healy complimented the Indian selection committee for picking Patel at a very tender age and said the keeper will have a lot of time to prove himself. ‘’Parthiv has a long way to go before he can establish himself. The selectors have rightly pushed him into the Indian team, they have to be persistent,’’ he said. ‘’Indian coach John Wright is quite impressed by him. He is young and is a keen learner. I spent some time at the nets with Parthiv, on the request of Wright. I was surprised by his lack of judgement. He does not have the right technique and the mindset to tackle wicketkeeping at the highest level,’’ Healy said and adding, ‘’I was a new comer in the Australia team. But I took everything that came my way and Parthiv is doing the same thing. It took me two years to strike the right balance, I am sure that Parthiv will take the same time to master his art. ‘’Age is in Parthiv’s favour. At his age most of the international players have had their exposure to the sub-junior cricket but he is lucky to be already part of the national side,’’ Healy said. He was of the view that Patel will emerge as a very strong player in the future because he is in a team which has players of a stature like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly. ‘’I am sure that very soon Parthiv will be able to shoulder the responsibility in the one-dayers and Rahul will be relieved of this additional duty,’’ he added. About the current series, Healy said, ‘’It is exciting and thrilling.’’ ‘’Pakistan has been a great country with regard to hospitality and I consider myself lucky to be here. I guess, not many Australians have had the fortune to witness such a historic series. And I am sure the same intensity will continue to rock the series in the Test matches,’’ he added. Healy said the two teams are evenly balanced and ‘’if the Indians are slightly weak in bowling they make up with the batting. It is other way round with the Pakistanis.’’
— UNI |
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Colombo, March 24 Skipper Ricky Ponting led from the front in the first two sessions with an aggressive 92 and found support from Lehmann, who continued throughout the evening to finish unbeaten on 104. Ponting and Lehmann stole the initiative with a 121-run partnership for the fourth wicket after Australia had slipped to 96 for three in their first innings shortly after lunch. Ponting missed out of his first century of a lean series when he spooned up a simple catch to mid-off from the last delivery of the afternoon session from Chaminda Vaas. Ponting’s 138-ball innings included 11 fours and one six. Lehmann, though, continued to resist Sri Lanka’s bowlers during the evening session, adding 27 with Simon Katich (14) and 55 with Adam Gilchrist (22) for the sixth-wicket stand. Lehmann, dropped on 20 in the slips, extended his series aggregate to 323 in five innings during a knock that included 11 powerful fours and one lofted six. Experienced left-armer Vaas was the pick of Sri Lanka’s bowlers, probing away on a good batting pitch to finish with three for 76 from 20 overs. Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was repelled for much of the day but picked up two wickets in the evening, extending his career tally to 507 as he finished with two for 84. Sri Lanka’s morning started badly when left-arm paceman Nuwan Zoysa broke down with a calf injury after bowling 3.3 overs with the new ball. Scoreboard Australia (Ist innings): Langer c Dilshan b Vaas 19 Hayden c sub
Ponting c Murali b Vaas 92 Martyn c Sangakkara
Lehmann not out 104 Katich c and b Murali 14 Gilchrist c Jayasuriya
Warne not out 7 Extras (b-5 lb-9 nb-3) 17 Total
(6 wkts, 90 overs) 314 Fall of wickets: 1-43 2-60 3-96 4-217 5-244 6-299. Bowling:
Vaas 20-3-76-3, Zoysa 3.3-1-23-0, Samaraweera 11.3-1-28-1, Muralitharan 28-5-84-2, Herath 23-5-76-0, Jayasuriya 4-0-13-0. — Reuters |
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South Africans fear
history-making loss
Wellington, March 24 In stark contrast to five years ago, South Africa arrived in Wellington this week battling to save rather than win a series after being stung by nine wickets in Auckland. In 1999 Hansie Cronje’s men won the deciding Test by eight wickets to take a 1-0 series victory. This time all New Zealand need is a draw to win a series against South Africa for the first time in their 72-year rivalry. “We’ve never lost to them before so it’s important we do everything in our power to win this Test and even the series,” Pollock said. Pollock said it was up to the individuals to lift themselves several notches, particularly his bowling cohorts who have struggled throughout the tour. — AFP |
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Port of Spain, March 24 West Indies lost the second Test by seven wickets yesterday to fall 2-0 behind in the four-Test series and are in danger of conceding a Test series victory to England in the Caribbean for the first time in 36 years. The defeat prompted West Indies team manager Ricky Skerritt to resign, but Lara, whose position is also under pressure, was trying to be upbeat.
— AFP |
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BILT Cup Football Yamunanagar, March 24 A. Bhardwaj drew the first blood in the 5th minutes with a cracking shot from the right flank. Roorkee teams was leading by one goal. In the second half, BEG players tried to increase the margin good moves out failed. Ajay Kumar missed golden chance, when kicked the ball in the hands of the Faridabad goalkeeper. The Faridabad players tried to equalize, but Roorkee defenders were alert. Finally, BEG Roorkee emerged winners to enter quarterfinals. |
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Anand, 2 others at top slot Monaco, March 24 Anand scored 1.5 out of two against Loek Van Wely and joined Vladimir Kramnik and Peter Leko on top of the heap with 5.5 points in combined standings. He is the sole leader in rapid standings with an excellent 3.5 out of four in four rapid games. Peter Svidler and Peter Leko, with three wins in four games lead the blindfold standings. Loek Van Wely recovering from his 0-2 loss to Bareev in third round, was content to hold Anand to a draw in blindfold. Anand, too, looked happy enough playing with black in the Nimzo Indian. The game was drawn in 38 moves. But in the rapid, Anand was again at his best. The Indian star stunned the Dutchman with an off-beat line and did not rely on fashionable variations.
— UNI |
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Amrit Pal honoured Chandigarh, March 24 Amrit Pal Singh, an Inspector in the Punjab Police, had set aside the previous record of 8.04 metres set by T.C. Yohanan at Teheran during the 1974 Asian Games. Inspector Jagdish Bishnoi, the national champion in javelin throw, and Balraj Singh, the current Punjab state and Punjab Police record-holder in high jump, were also felicitated at the function. |
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