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Tendulkar virtually out of second Test
Harbhajan went scot-free,
alleges McGrath
Indian top order let down spinners
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Lanka reach final after Zimbabwe
match called off
India awaiting
FIH invitation
Dilip Tirkey’s return proved decisive
National sub-junior badminton from today
Atwal to lead Punjab football team
Sangrur school win in u-17 hockey
PU, HP University
record wins
Amritsar girls score win
Amritsar, Jalandhar to host
Una DAV school students excel
Chandigarh beaten in
Total Tennis meet
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Tendulkar virtually out of second Test
Chennai, October 11 "It is extremely unlikely that Tendulkar will be able to play at Chepauk. I think he has still not recovered from the injury," one of the national selectors, who requested not to be named, said today. The batting maestro has been out of action since mid-August due to tennis elbow in his left hand and there is speculation that he might not be able to play at all in the remainder of the four-Test series. The speculation is mainly based on the fact that Tendulkar has not had a full batting session in the nets so far. He was initially allowed to bat for 10 minutes or so by the doctors and he now has just two days in hand before the first ball is bowled in the second Test. Tendulkar has been undergoing a rehabilitation programme under team physiotherapist Andrew Leipus to strengthen his muscles in the left hand. India trail 0-1 in the four-Test series after losing the opener in Bangalore yesterday. The Chepauk Stadium holds happy memories for the Little Master who has scored four centuries in six Tests here including two in succession against Australia in 1998 and 2001.
— PTI
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Harbhajan went scot-free, alleges McGrath
Sydney, October 11 Local media reports quote the sulking pacer, who himself was admonished by ICC for his conduct in the past, complaining that the same offence would have landed the Aussies in trouble. Admitting Harbhajan has been in tremendous form, McGrath said, ''You can't take his statistics away from him, he's done pretty well against us. (But) He doesn't mind having a chat, especially when he's just gotten a batsman out. A lot of times I think if that was one of us, there might be a bit more done about it.'' Claiming that Damien Martyn was the constant target of the Turbanator, he said, ''Marto said it was constant screaming abuse. You don't mind getting sledged, but he seems to be going non-stop all day. ''If that's the way he works at his best, so be it. e gets himself pretty fired up. He plays pretty aggressively, even when he bats.'' McGrath also prescribed the solution to combat Harbhajan's enthusiasm in the field. ''If we can make sure he gets less wickets than he has been, maybe that confidence will drop. He's a big part of their team at the moment against us and if we can get on top of him, it will make our jobs so much easier.'' McGrath, however, admitted that he and fellow pacers had directed a number of bouncers at Harbhajan in Bangalore. ''He doesn't seem to get under the ball too well, so it's always a good way of knocking him over -- try to unsettle him a little bit,'' said McGrath. ''If you let him get to you, maybe. But I think we just try to take him as he comes, just smile at him. I think he feeds off getting under our skin, so we just try to take that away from him.'' McGrath, however, was gracious enough to say, ''He's pretty friendly off the field.''
—UNI |
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Indian top order let down spinners
The Indian top order in the first Test was guilty of plenty. No runs, no intent to score, looking unbelievably tentative and not providing sufficient time for the team’s spinners to relax between innings.
Relaxation is crucial but more important is physiological recovery before they have to bowl long spells again. Time for muscles to recover, fluid levels to be replenished, sore feet to abate, spinning joints to loosen before they start to think about batting, let alone bowling a second time. Their top order is not providing them with enough time to shower, let alone relax. They won’t last if this continues or if they make it through the four Tests, they will not be effective. Both spinners are returning from freshening breaks. Surgery to Harbhajan and not too much cricket for Kumble has them in good shape for this series but the pressure they both bowled under in this Test was incredible. They certainly have not been allowed to re-enter at their own tempo. Both men had the task of keeping the runs down and removing Australian batsmen — a combination which so rarely happens. The Aussies love seeing off fruitless spells by opposition strike bowlers and it won’t get any easier from here, so the Indian batsmen have to take responsibility. Their bowlers’ spells will not get shorter, so the rests in between must be larger. Both spinners are playing under huge expectations without a great deal of form under their belt. Radio commentators have already questioned Kumble’s shoulder, saying that he does not have his usual zip and rip. It is unfair and harsh because it’s the variable bounce of wearing Indian pitches that provides the rip for him. This pitch died and rarely spat at the batsmen’s unsuspecting splices which will never help his style. Harbhajan came into his own during the second innings but Australia had no inclination to be patient. When they need to be, the left-handers can continue to pad him away unless he develops a liking for bowling around the wicket. One must mention the state of the pitch produced for such an important fixture. It was substandard and backfired on the Indians due to losing of the toss. Someone in the Indian camp made a massive error of judgment regarding this pitch. Did they underrate Warne so badly, not knowing about the quality reverse swing skills of all Aussie quicks or refuse to recognise the impressive performances of Australian batsmen in Sri Lanka early this year? Bad move. The questions that I posed about the Australians have all been answered emphatically. Glenn McGrath can finally say he is back to his best and actually mean it. He penetrated like a surgeon and never let up. Pace accompanied the penetration and so did economy — a performance of the highest order. Warne was an admirable workhorse who never complained during his toil. He did not extract enough bounce to partner his sideways spin but he will when he makes relevant technical adjustments to his action. There is plenty more of him to come — look out. McGrath’s dominance released potential stresses from Gillespie and Kasprowicz who revelled in the conditions provided. Maybe once before has a Gilchrist century been second fiddle. This Test saw the second time. The supreme composure on debut of Michael Clarke, matched by flawless shot selection and skill to execute them, had us focused on the other end from the Aussie keeper for longer periods than ever before. I had said Clarke debuted two years later than he should have. It has not hurt him at least, his absolute hunger for performance was obvious. Batting at a time when a false shot could possibly be excused, he nailed it. The bowlers were on a roll, the crowd in full voice, even commentators were contemplating a collapse, and here Clarke began what should be a long career. I will call it the best Test debut in the history of Australian cricket with the bat. The Indians were pretty bad in the first Test during the last home series but bounced back. This will happen again. They looked heavy, slower on their feet than Australia and much more thoughtful. Naturalness is crucial at this level of play and India forfeited their’s immediately on day one, when pushed back continuously by gutsy Aussie partnerships. No Indian played like a potential winner until it was over. This needs rectifying if they wish to compete, let alone emulate 2001. Skill, endurance and patience played major roles in a tremendous Australian victory but what I loved the most was the absolute togetherness the team demonstrated. There were plenty of tough times but they were always there as a team urging, lifting or just plain toiling.
— PTI |
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Lanka reach final after Zimbabwe match called off
Rawalpindi, October 11 “Although the ground staff did a commendable job to put in so much hard work on the pitch and square, there are still some soft patches around the popping crease and in surrounding areas,” Taufel said. Zimbabwe had lost their other three matches in the tournament. Sri Lanka have 10 points from three games and will play leaders Pakistan in the final on October 16 in Lahore after meeting them in the final group match on Thursday. Zimbabwe, who have lost 13 successive matches since April, return home tomorrow to prepare for next month’s one-day series against England.
— Reuters |
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India awaiting FIH invitation
New Delhi, October 11 India had been asked by the FIH to be ready for the event in case any team pulls out at the last minute and Australia's withdrawal has paved the way for the Asian team to take part in the six-nation championship to be held in Lahore in December. "It's a good news for us. We got a communication from the FIH only a couple of days back to get ready for the event in case any team pulls out. Now we hope to get a formal invitation from them in next one or two days," Indian Hockey Federation secretary-general K Jothikumaran revealed from Chennai today. Australia's pull out came a day after a suicide bombing in a Mosque in Lahore killed four people. Jothikumaran said India do not have any such security fears as the team played four Test matches in Pakistan just a few days back. He also said that the trip would provide a good exposure to the young players and help India prepare a team for the future. "It's a top competition with the best teams participating. It would be a very good experience for the young players in the side," he said. The other four teams besides hosts Pakistan -- Germany, Holland, Spain and New Zealand -- have already confirmed their attendance for the elite six-nation annual event scheduled to be held from December 4 to 12. —PTI Olympic champions Australia pull out
Lahore:
Olympic hockey champions Australia, citing security fears, have pulled out of the Champions Trophy to be held in Pakistan in December, the Pakistan Hockey Federation said today. "They have conveyed us that they will not be coming and have cited the baseless security fears, which is not only disappointing but disturbing for us," federation secretary Brigadier Musarratullah Khan told AFP. The elite six-nation annual event is scheduled to be held in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore. The other four teams had confirmed their attendance, Khan said, adding "we do not have any fears of the event being shifted from Pakistan because security is not a problem". Australia, who won their maiden Olympic title in Athens this year, had threatened to boycott the tournament last month saying the organizers had not responded to their concerns about possible terrorist attacks.
—AFP
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Dilip Tirkey’s return proved decisive
The series is over, but a win in the last match at least ended the series on a positive note for the Indians, who scored a good 2-0 win, only their second in the eight-match series which they lost 2-4.
It was great to see Dilip Tirkey back in action to lead the team. Tirkey has been a good motivator for the side and his own performance has shown tremendous upward movement in the past two years. As the senior man, he shows a lot of maturity and is able to get the best out of the side. He is indeed an asset in the defence and when he is leading, the team looks more purposeful. In their two previous encounters in Hyderabad, India had beaten Pakistan on both occasions and this seemed to charge them up even before the final match had began. India had beaten Pakistan in both the league match and the final in the Afro-Asian Games last year. For a change, Indians used both their flanks effectively. They played with better combination and showed themselves to be a unit, rather than disjointed pieces as has been the case in some recent matches. There was a method in the way the midfield and forward lines functioned. And the result showed their effort. While there is no denying the talent in the side, what I feel is holding them back in terms of overall performance is lack of consistency. That could be because of a variety of reasons, including fitness and injuries. Coming back to the Hyderabad match, Sandeep Michael scored first after exerting a lot of pressure on the Pakistani defence. It was Tushar Khandekar who started the move with a good run on the left flank. Combining with Vikram
Pillay, the ball finally came to Michael, who scored with a deflection after Pillay had a shy. Khandekar himself added the second goal to make it 2-0. Prabodh Tirkey went on a solo run following a counter attack and he made the ball for Khandekar who did the needful. There were some more chances for India, but they did not materialise into goals. On the other hand, even though Indian goalkeeper Adrian D’Souza and the defence led by Tirkey did a great job, it seemed Pakistan were short on motivation. Probably, they felt the job was done after the series had been won. It is a failing that can cost them in the future, because no team can afford to let another team gain psychological advantage even in an inconsequential match. From India’s point of view, whenever they meet Pakistan next, they will go in with the positive feeling of having won the previous clash. The new world record holder for maximum goals in international hockey, Sohail Abbas, was not able to add to his tally. Pakistan got six penalty corners and all were wasted. To some extent, the credit for that should go to
D’Souza, who has been terrific throughout the year. He charged out to stop Sohail and in the bargain it also cost him a green card for charging out too soon. But he had saved the citadel and in the end that is what counts. Finally, it was nice to see such camaraderie between the teams. The players formed an umbrella of sorts as Sohail walked out for the final match of the series, which was held after five years. Indeed, it has been a great series, even though one can question its timing, but still having some hockey is better than not having any at all.
— PTI |
National
sub-junior badminton from today
Chandigarh, October 11 Mr M.P. Singh, Chairman, Organising Committee, said that players would compete for top honours in eight events. They are under 13 and under 16 in girls and boys in singles and doubles. As many as 27 units affiliated to the Badminton Association of India will take part in the meet which is being held for the first time in the city beautiful. Yonex brand shuttlecocks will be used. Mr TPS Puri, Organising Secretary, said the media centre equipped with telephone, fax and Internet facility had been set up. The matches will be played on six wooden courts at two venues — Sector 42 hall and Panjab University Gymnasium hall — for first two days. On last three days, only Sector 42 hall will be used. Services of referees from National Institute of Sports have been taken and round-the-clock medical facilities will be provided. Dr Ashok Ahuja, a sports medicine doctor, will be available. Meanwhile, the seedings were released today by the Chief Referee SA Shetty. The seedings are: Mini Girls Singles: under 13:
Ankita Ashok (Ktk)1, PC Thulasi (Ker) 2, Nilita Chadha (Guj) 3, Sikki Reddy (AP) 4, Saili Rane (Mah) 5, Vaibhavi Sabnis (Mah) 6, P Darshini (TN) 7 and K Lavanya (AP) 8. Doubles:
K Sikki Reddy and PC Thulasi (BAI)1, Ankita Ashok and Nikita Chadha (BAI) 2. Mini Boys singles:
under 13: Saurabh Varma (MP) 1, Raj Kumar (Pb) 2, Ajay Kumar (AP) 3, N Satyanarayan Rao (TN) 4, Sai Praneet (AP) 5, Nain Kumar Saha (Mah) 6, Bob Sharma (Pb) 7, Eshan Naqvi (UP) 8. Doubles:
V Anvesh and K Nandagopal (AP)1, Raj Kumar and Pranav Chopra (Pb) 2. Sub-Junior Girls singles:
under 16: Gayatri Vartak (Mah) 1,V Ruth Misha (Ktk) 2, GM Nischita (Ktk) 3, Ashwini Ponappa (Ktk) 4, Nitya Sosale (Ktk)5, Kanu Priya (Har) 6, Monisha Vinayak (Ktk) 7, Jyotsna (AP) 8. Doubles:
Ashwani Ponappa and Nitya Sosale (Ktk)1, Manasi Pandit and Vaishali Baria (Guj) 2. Sub-Junior boys singles: under 16:
Samruddha Rathod (Mah)1, Akshay Dewalkar (Mah) 2, Suranjan Bhobora (Asm) 3, Saurabh Paralikar (Mah) 4, Aditya Elandgo (TN) 5, MD Anoop Kiran (Ktk) 6, Abhidnya Sawant (Mah) 7, Oscar Bansal (Chd) 8. Doubles:
Suranjan and Dibhyayoti Borah (Asm)1, Saurabh Paralikar and Parin Chopra (Mah) 2. |
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Atwal to lead Punjab football team
Phagwara, October 11 Inder Singh, Arjuna awardee footballer and honorary secretary, Punjab Football Association, said in a press note that final selection trials were held here today at the JCT Football Stadium. The team has 11 players of
JCT, five of BSF and four of Punjab Police. The team: Goalkeepers: Kameshwar Singh and Machhinder Singh ( both BSF). Fullbacks: Tapan Bhattacharya (BSF), Jaspal Singh, KV
Danesh, Harpreet Singh, Daljit Singh (all JCT), Anwar and Harish Sharma (both Punjab Police). Halfbacks: Baldeep Singh, Sukhjinder Singh, Manjit Singh, Shivraj Singh, Sukhwinder Singh (all
JCT), Parveen Kumar and Gurpreet Singh (both Punjab Police). Forwards: Havinder Singh, Hardeep Gill (both
JCT), Santosh Sethi and Gurjit Singh Atwal (both BSF). Jagir Singh, SAI football coach, and Parminder Singh, JCT coach, will accompany the team as coach and manager, respectively. |
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Sangrur school win in u-17 hockey
Jalandhar, October 11 The game started on a fast note as both teams made attempts to open their account in the first half. However, both teams remained goalless till half time. In the second half, the Sangrur boys again made some good moves, but to no avail. As the teams failed to score in the allotted time, the match was decided through tie-breaker. The Sangrur school scored four times while Kapurthala managed to convert only two strokes. For Sangrur, Prince, Jaswinder Singh, Shamsher Singh and Ranjodh Singh scored while Harjinder Singh and Fulpreet Singh of Kapurthala reduced the lead. In another match, Government Senior Secondary School, Moga, defeated Springdale School, Amritsar, by a solitary goal. Sarbeen Khan of the Moga school made no mistake in converting a penalty stroke in the first half (1-0). Though the Amritsar boys were awarded penalty corners in the 21st and 34th minutes, they failed to convert any of them. |
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PU, HP University
record wins
Rohtak, October 11 Pitted against H.N.B. Garhwal University, Panjab University chalked out an easy victory by 55-19 margin. It was also an easy stroll for Kurukshetra University who defeated PAU Ludhiana 36-08. HPU Shimla and Choudhry Devi Lal University Sirsa also began their campaign on winning note. Shimla defeated Jammu University 56-24 whereas Sirsa lads beat their rivals from Punjabi university Patiala 72-33. The four-day tournament was inaugurated by Vice-Chancellor of M.D. University Prof R.S. Dhankar. He called upon the youth to enter the fray and show team work and discipline. Hard work was key to success. Sportspersons from 29 universities are taking part in the four-day tourney. The competitions are being held on knock-out basis. |
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Amritsar girls score win
New Delhi, October 11 Kulvinder Kaur converted a penalty corner in the 14th minute to open the account of the Amritsar school but 11 minutes later, the Mizoram girls pulled back the equaliser off a penalty corner. Midway through the second half, Kiran Deep Kaur struck a fine field goal to get the match-winner. Later, in an one-sided match, SGNP Girls Shool, Shahbad (Haryana), whipped NCC, Bangalore, 7-0. Saravjeet Kaur scored the first goal in the second minute while Harjinder Kaur and Aarti Sharma knocked in the second and third goals to complete the first half tally. On resumption, Anshul, Ritu Rani, Sarabjit Kaur and Lakhwinder Kaur scored a goal each. Government Bhoj Girls School, Dhar (MP), defeated Karamat Hussain Muslim College, Lucknow, 3-0 in a pool IV match. |
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Amritsar, Jalandhar to host Ranji ties
Chandigarh, October 11 Gandhi Grounds, Amritsar, will host the Punjab vs Assam match (November 16 to 19), while the Punjab-Baroda encounter will be held at Burlton Park, Jalandhar, from November 25 to 28. This was decided at a meeting of the executive committee of the association, held yesterday at the PCA Stadium under the chairmanship of Mr I.S. Bindra, President, PCA, according to a press note issued by the association. |
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Una DAV school students excel
Nahan, October 11 Students of DAV institution of Una stole the show as they won the “best team” title. Pyush of Una was adjudged best athlete. Mr Ajay Bhadur Singh Ex-MLA of Nahan presided over the closing ceremony and distributed prizes to the winners. Mr P.S. Dhir, Principal of DAV school Nahan and organiser of the meet, read out a detail report on the history of this meet and welcomed the chief guest. A colourful cultural function presented by the students of DAV Nahan was the main attraction for thousands of residents watching this function.
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Chandigarh
beaten in volleyball final Ambala, October 11 The arrangements for the match had been made under the guidance of CWE Col S.K. Mukherjee and GE South Mr N.N. Rao. Chief Zone, Jalandhar, beat Chief Zone, Chandigarh, 3-0. The matches were first played at the level of Commander Works Engineer and thereafter at the chief zone level. The chief zones that participated in the championship included Palampur zone, Delhi zone, Bathinda zone, Jalandhar zone and Chandigarh zone.
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Total Tennis meet
Chandigarh, October 11 As many as 250 players are expected to take part in this eight-day meet which has special prizes for the winners from HEAD sports gears. Entries close with Mr Arvind J Noel, secretary, YMCA on October 14. |
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Winsom honours Yashpal
New Delhi, October 11 |
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Cricket trials on Oct 14, 15
Rohtak, October 11
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Cricket tourney
New Delhi, October 11 |
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Top pros for Noida Open
New Delhi, October 11 The main contest will be between Order of Merit leader Ashok Kumar and Mukesh Kumar. Ashok, who surged ahead of three-time money list winner Mukesh with his third straight tour win at the HT Pro Golf last week, currently enjoys a Rs 1,00,400 lead over his immediate rival. The winner of the tournament will pocket Rs 1,62,000. |
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Govt College girls win
volleyball title Sangrur win 3 kho-kho titles IFA Shield Umpire honoured
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