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PCB: Nothing personal against
Shoaib
BCCI: No permission for Abu Dhabi tie Sehwag, Sachin, Dravid in Wisden list Zimbabwe officials ‘fight’ over selection
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India win junior Davis Cup zonals
Popat qualifies for Athens Fans saved my life, says Maradona
Drivers gear up for Solan rally 9-member team for
junior golf meet Amritsar win
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PCB: Nothing personal against Shoaib
Karachi, May 1 “The board did everything in its power to defend him and get him cleared then. The PCB has nothing personal against him or any other player,” Raja said. “But the bottomline is that if we feel and get conclusive feedback that any player is not trying hard enough or has an attitude and communication problem with the captain, then we need to see the situation in its perspective and set things right.” Shoaib cited an injury for not taking the field on the third day of the Rawalpindi Test against India but batted freely on the fourth day which lead to speculation that he may have feigned the injury. The PCB subsequently set up a four-member medical inquiry panel to look into Shoaib’s injury as well those suffered by four of his other team-mates. Raja also said the board was not too interested in mere “change of personnel” in the aftermath of twins defeats to India in the recent cricket series. “A change of personnel will count for nothing. It is the way of thinking in the team and among players that has to be changed and we are looking and reviewing on these lines. “The truth is nothing has been decided as yet on what we plan to do in the coming days. I have not had a chance to discuss this with the Chairman (Shaharyar Khan) because of the death of my father, neither have I met any player. “We have our own viewpoints about the Rawalpindi Test loss to India as well as the reasons for inconsistencies throughout the series, but so far we have not had a chance to sit down and discuss them among ourselves,” he said. Raja maintained that no decision had been taken on whether changes were needed in the team management. “I think that Javed (Miandad) has another year of contract with us while the manager’s contract has expired with the India series. All these things we will review soon. But at this stage nothing has been decided,” he said. The PCB chief executive, however, said he would be seeking the opinion of such former greats like Sunil Gavaskar, Bob Woolmer, Sir Barry Richards, Sir Clive Lloyd and Greg Chappell when they come to Lahore to attend the Asian Cricket Council seminar on May 9 and 10. “We have contacted some of these people in the past to be our national coach but nothing came through. But we are looking at some of them to give us their views on how we can improve our cricket culture and more importantly if some of them can work sparingly at our National Cricket Academy with our young players,” he said. Shoaib to wait till
panel submits report ISLAMABAD: Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who finds himself at the centre of the injury controversy rocking Pakistan cricket, would decide his future course of action after the medical inquiry commission submits its report on May 4. “I will announce my next course of action at a press conference after the medical commission’s report is made public,” Shoaib was quoted as saying in local daily ‘Dawn’. Shoiab’s statement came a day after results of a bone scanning test at a reputed hospital in Lahore, run by the legendary Imran Khan, revealed that the bowler had an injury on his 11th rib. The tearway fast bowler, whose refusal to bowl on the third day of the series-deciding cricket Test against India in Rawalpindi led to speculation that he may have faked the injury, was confident that the four-member inquiry commission would give him a clean chit. But a top Pakistan Cricket Board official said that it was only a bone-scan report and not the PCB appointed medical commission’s finding. Media reports here said the commission’s report would be submitted to the PCB on May 4 and it would be made public the next day. Meanwhile, Pakistan cricket team captain Inzamam-ul Haq and vice-captain Yousuf Youhana met PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan yesterday apparently to discuss the fallout of the injury controversy involving Shoaib and four other players — Moin Khan, Abdul Razzaq, Shabbir Ahmed and Umar Gul.
— PTI |
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BCCI: No permission for Abu Dhabi tie
Kolkata, May 1 “We are sick and tired of this matter. It simply has no basis. Nobody has sought the permission of the BCCI. Nor does the board intend to give clearance to the players to take part in the match. Please treat the matter as closed,” a BCCI source told PTI. When asked to comment on reports that a highly-placed Abu Dhabi Cricket Control Board (ADCCB) official had met top level board officials in India, the source said, “there is absolutely no basis to such reports.” BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya, who was unavailable for comments, had earlier said that the board was “completely in the dark” about the tie. The issue came into focus after the ADCCB claimed that an Indian and Pakistani eleven would clash on May 14 in the desert city for the $ 100,000 Sheikh Zayed Cricket Cup and claimed that the boards of both the countries had given their consent. —PTI
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Sehwag, Sachin, Dravid in Wisden list
Only Australia with 14 players and South Africa (seven) have more players than India in the prestigious list that appears in the 141st edition of this cricketing bible.
Dravid had a phenomenal 2003, scoring 803 runs in five Tests at an amazing average of 100.37. In one-dayers he compiled 623 runs in 23 matches. Sehwag had an average of 52.20 in five Tests and 32.25 in 27 one-dayers. Tendulkar had a dismal outing in Tests managing just 153 runs from five Tests but made up for it by his show in the one-dayers in which he scored 1441 runs from 21 matches at an average of 57.05. Laxman compiled 595 runs at an average of 85.00 in Tests and 232 runs at 29.00 in eight ODIs.
The glowing tributes that Wisden paid to the five Indians, who excelled during 2003, follows: Sehwag: It was the year Sehwag forged his own identity. No longer was he just a Tendulkar ‘doppelganger’. Now he was a big box-office in his own right. Though he is a year older, Sehwag is not necessarily a year wiser and he continues to open the innings the only way he knows how. His live-fast-die-young style of batting was exhilarating when it came off but with hits came the inevitable misses most notably during an under whelming World Cup. Two breathtaking innings, however, stood out — a match-winning 112 in a one-dayer in Auckland when no other Indian reached 25 and a glorious 195 on Boxing Day at Melbourne. For its relentless risk-taking mass devastation and pure unbridled talent, this was Sehwag at its most definitive. Tendulkar: In whites, an annus horribilis, in pyjamas mirabilis, it was hard to know which was greater. The peaks he touched in South Africa or until he redeemed himself with a consummate double century at the start of 2004, Tendulkar was the player of the World Cup — his genius in full unfettered glory displaying all the colours of the cricketing rainbow, his assault on Shoaib Akhtar in India’s crunch match against Pakistan acquired immediate fame in his homeland. If his failures in the final when India needed a miracle from him but got only a mistimed pull, stimulated the begrudgers’ juices. His Test match form drove them to distraction. Statistically and actually it was the worst year of Tendulkar’s Test career: six single figure scores in nine and the ignominy of being dropped down the order in the MCG bear pit — a bit like Eliotness being taken out of the firing line for his own good. But as Tendulkar’s scorching beginning to 2004 showed that gravity of genius cannot be defied forever. Dravid: Just when it looked like the man nicknamed ‘The Wall’ could not scale any greater heights after a run-laden 2002, Dravid took his batting to another level. It is not easy to stand out in the Indian top six — who by the end of the year were established as cricket’s answer to real Madrid’s footballing galacticos but Dravid began India’s unusually light Test year with 222 and 73 against New Zealand at Ahmedabad and finished with a man-of-the-series performance in Australia where his tally of 305 for once out at Adelaide was one of the all-time great performances. Few batsmen anywhere could match his blend of patience, elegance, strokeplay and modesty. Through it all he remained the backbone of the Indian line-up, as five unbeaten innings out of 10 plus an average of over 63 at the World Cup — despite the burden of keeping wickets — confirmed. Laxman: At the start of the year, VVS Laxman was not good enough for India’s World Cup squad: by the end, as he tormented his favourite victims Australia once more, he was one of the richest, purest sights in world cricket. Brought back into the fold in October, Laxman meant business from the off: two unbeaten, unusually disciplined innings saved the Mohali Test against New Zealand, then a beautiful 148 at Adelaide helped win one in sensational circumstances. Australian bowlers wondered just where to bowl to him. Like Viv Richards, he seemed to be able to choose where he wanted to hit a delivery: everybody else felt like they had been touched by something “very very special”. And with every wristily sleek stroke, the question grew even more perplexing: how on earth had Dinesh Mongia played in the World Cup ahead of him. Kumble: It was the biggest turnaround of the year. Kumble spent most of the time in the shadow of Harbhajan Singh. He hardly featured in India’s run to the World Cup final. And his career seemed to be winding down gently. But Harbhajan lost form, got injured and, by the end of 2003 Kumble was India’s supersub, gunning down the Australians by the dozen and getting the respect that had been absent for much of his 14 years in international cricket. He added more variations, of pace especially, to his splice-rattling top spinners, and his control was magnificent. At Adelaide, his bowling was overshadowed by Dravid and Laxman but without Kumble there would have been no famous victory. That match took his tally of wickets in Test wins to 176: no other Indian had even one hundred. — PTI
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Zimbabwe officials ‘fight’ over selection Harare, May 1 There were several officials, guests and security staff standing nearby who watched in astonishment at what was certainly some heavy pushing and shoving between the two men. One ZCU official, who did not want to be named, said he was told by several different people who were there that punches had been thrown. Witnesses at the scene said the argument between Mangongo and Bvute was about selection of the team for the first Test against Sri Lanka, which starts here on Thursday, next week. It centred on whether the striking white players, who were due to return to practice, would take the majority of team places. Mangongo thought it should be about eight, according to those standing nearby, and Bvute advocated not more than three or four. The argument became heated, resulting in what some people saw as blows, but what Mangongo and Bvute recall as a “physical confrontation.”
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Ganguly stands
by Kale New Delhi: While Abhijit Kale struggles to wriggle out of the alleged bribery case, India skipper Sourav Ganguly stood by the Maharashtra batsman, saying he did not buy the theory that Kale had tried to bribe two national selectors for a berth in the national team. “I find it difficult to believe that Abhijit Kale offered bribe to the selection committee. I have known him for a very long time and he is not the sort of person who will offer a bribe to anyone,’’ Sourav said in Aaj Tak channel’s Seedhi Baat programme. Kale was summoned in Kolkata on April 29 to appear before a three-member disciplinary committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India led by its president Jagmohan Dalmiya.
—
UNI
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India win junior Davis Cup zonals
New Delhi, May 1 Jeevan Nedunchezhian defeated Matt Symons 6-2, 6-4 before Rupesh Roy overcame Steven Goh 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to help India maintain their all-win record in the tournament, the All-India Tennis Association said here. The inconsequential doubles match was abandoned. The Indian boys, including Sanam Singh as the third member and Sandeep Kirtane as coach, had earlier booked their berth in the 16-nation World Group finals to be played in September in Barcelona by reaching the last-four stage. The trio beat Korea and the Philippines in the group phase before knocking out Thailand and Japan in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. AITA Presiden Yashwant Sinha conveyed his heartiest congratulations to the winning team while secretary general An l Khanna said the boys have brought great laurels to the country. —PTI
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Popat qualifies for Athens
New Delhi, May 1 The Indian hope in the men’s section rested on former national champion Abhinn Shyam Gupta and Nikhil Kanetkar but the duo was unable to make the cut. Abhinn, ranked 44th, and Kanetkar, ranked 48th, however, have an outside chance to participate in the four-yearly extravaganza provided some players withdraw at the last moment as they find themselves in the second and fifth position in the list of players identified for the reallocation process. “I am really happy to make it to my second Olympics in a row. It was a very hectic two and half years in the run-up to the qualification and I am glad I made the cut,” Popat told PTI on phone from Bangalore.— PTI |
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Fans saved my life, says Maradona
Buenos Aires, May 1 “I was dying,’’ a cheerful but dumpy Maradona told TV talk show host Susana Gimenez yesterday in his first public appearance since the illness, speaking slowly and sometimes incoherently. One day after discharging himself from the hospital, Maradona played golf at a plush country getaway outside Buenos Aires and mooned a TV crew hovering in a helicopter overhead. Just days before, doctors said he was in critical condition, heavily sedated and on an artificial respirator. “I was hanging by a thread,’’ the 43-year-old World Cup-winner, regarded as one of the greatest players in football history, said in a raspy voice. “I started to enter the tunnel (of death) and Boca fans pulled me back, and behind them came fans of River, San Lorenzo, Racing, Huracan, Independiente,’’ the former Boca Juniors club player said. “It would be unfair not to give my respect and admiration to all of Argentina’s football fans for their support,’’ he said in the exclusive interview with local TV station Telefe. Hundreds of fans had left cards and pictures of their hero outside the posh clinic where Maradona was hospitalised, while others prayed with Rosary beads. Maradona — whose green T-shirt did little to hide his ample gut — said he planned to stay in Buenos Aires for another week and travel to Cuba and Italy afterward. He has lived in Cuba for most of the past four years while being treated for cocaine addiction. At the peak of his form, the controversial star led Argentina to a 3-2 triumph over West Germany in the 1986 World Cup final, after a quarterfinal victory over England in which he famously said “the hand of God’’ helped him score a disputed goal. But in 1991 he failed a dope test for cocaine and was banned for 15 months. Maradona played in his fourth World Cup in the USA in 1994, and was thrown out of the tournament after failing a drug test. Asked what he wanted from life, Maradona responded, “I just want to continue living without bothering anyone, without getting involved with anybody.’’ Maradona’s health problems may have eased, but his father was hospitalised on Friday with a respiratory problem. — Reuters
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Drivers gear up for Solan rally Chandigarh, May 1 Chandigarh drivers dominated the Desert Storm, with Sunny Sidhu and co-driver Kamal Sidhu winning the overall trophy. The team of Harpreet Bawa and Nirmal Singh topped their group and were third overall while Gursimrat Jawanda and Bharatveer Kapoor did well to top the two-wheel drive N category and finish fifth overall in their 1995 carburated Esteem. Jasmohan and Udayveer Sangha finished sixth overall. Of the 14 legs Chandigarh drivers were the fastest in 12, with Sunny Sidhu being the first to the post in 11 while Harpreet Bawa took the honours in one leg. Last year Sunny had finished second behind Anil Wadia of Delhi, who this time around had to be content with the runner-up spot. Former champion Garcha was elated with the drivers' achievement and said the drivers from the region had now proved themselves in the four- wheeler category also. Garcha said this year they had won 33 trophies and the reason for the surge in the achievements of city boys was the exposure given in the recent past.
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9-member team for
junior golf meet New Delhi, May 1 The team, comprising five boys and four girls, would leave for Indonesia tomorrow and would be accompanied by Nonita Lal Qureshi, Indian Golf Union secretary general Satish Aparajit told reporters here today. Aparajit said the juniors were not getting desired international exposure since over a year and half as most of the competitions were cancelled due to SARS and bird flu virus. “Hence the IGU decided to send an additional player in both boys and girls event,” he said adding that the final team for the competition would be selected after trials there. The championship will be played in two age group categories — A and B — and a two-member team would be fielded in each event. Pointing out that this was the “best ever” team India would be fielding in the competition, Aparajit said “we have high hopes from current India number one Ajeetesh Sandhu.” Team: Boys:
Gaurav Ghosh (Captain), Ajeetesh Sandhu, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Amanjyout Singh, Fatehbir Dhaliwal and Raghav Wahi. Girls:
Renuka Philip (Captain), Vaishavi Sinha, Manavi Halwasia, Bhavna Shetty and Meghna Bal.
— PTI |
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Amritsar win Amritsar, May 1 Devesar in his spell of 20 overs took four wickets for 24 runs while Bhandari scalped four batsmen in 18 overs. Balbir Singh and Charanjit Singh took one wicket each. Chasing the total of 174 runs set by Jalandhar, the hosts made 175 runs in 55.5 overs for the loss of five wickets. Sumit Sharma made 80 runs while Harmanjeet Singh Bajwa added 38 runs.
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New Delhi, May 1
Four Pakistanis — captain Inzamam-ul Haq, Shoaib Akhtar, Yousuf Youhana and Mushtaq Ahmed — also figure in the book that has on its cover the picture of former and present Aussie captains Steve Waugh and Ponting.
Kumble claimed 21 wickets in four Tests at an average of 36.42 and 13 wickets in 10 ODIs (25.76) during the year.
