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BCCI awards production rights to TWI
Warm welcome to Pak team
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PCB to seek BCCI support on neutral umpires for ODIs
Kumble tops Test ratings
Abbas Ali slams ton
South Zone recover after Nehra burst
Budget allocates Rs 45.5 crore for C’wealth Games
Kasparov holds aggressive Anand
East Bengal edge out Goan club
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BCCI awards production rights to TWI
New Delhi, March 1 But the issue of awarding the satellite overseas rights still hangs in the balance as the BCCI failed to arrive at a decision on this crucial matter. Prasar Bharati was given the rights to telecast the series following a Madras High Court interim order regarding the telecast rights, though the BCCI did not concur with the interpretation of Prasar Bharati on the matter. BCCI president Ranbir Singh Mahendra said after the working meeting that TWI’s offer of $1.5 million, which would be further nogotiated, was deemed as a fair deal and hence the awarding of the production rights to it. “After evaluating the offers received by the board for the television production for the series, we unanimously decided to grant the rights to TWI”, Mr Mahendra explained. However, he admitted that the working committee could not come to a decision regarding the award of satellite overseas rights and Indian terrestrial and satellite rights for the series. “Prasar Bharati is saying it has been authorised by the Madras High Court with regard to the terrestrial and satellite rights in the country. But the working committee, after consultation with the BCCI legal counsel, did not agree with the interpretation of Prasar Bharati,” the board president noted. The working committee authorised Mr Mahendra to take a final decision in this regard. He said the board would also take a final decision on the overseas rights “in the next 48 hours.” The TWI, which got the production rights, had earlier handled the TV production of Indian cricket from 1993 to 1999. He said bids would be invited for the satellite rights of the series. |
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Warm welcome to Pak team
Gaggal, March 1 Local students, dressed in their colourful best, accorded them a traditional welcome with garlands, Himachali shawls and Himachali caps. Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was mobbed by mediapersons the moment he got down from the plane. “Insha Allah, we will win in the series as my team is capable enough,” he said, adding that although the team would miss strike bowler Shoaib Akhtar, they had other good fast bowlers to bank upon. Asked if they planned to concentrate more on bowling, he said they would need contribution from both bowlers and batsmen. Soon after the players stepped out to get into a bus to leave for their hotel, their fans, who had been waiting since morning, surrounded them. Shahid Afridi was a major attraction. Other members of the Pakistan team, along with Mohammad Kaif, captain of the Board President’s XI, arrived around 3.30 pm today. Talking to mediapersons, Abdul Razzaq said despite Shoaib Akhtar’s absence, they would put in their best to win the series. Meanwhile, the district police asked spectators not to carry cell phones, alcoholic drinks, tiffins or glass ‘weapons’ to the stadium. |
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PCB to seek BCCI support on neutral umpires for ODIs
Karachi, March 1 PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan will discuss the proposal with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Ranbir Singh Mahendra during his visit to India for the ICC meeting, scheduled to be held in Delhi on March 17 and 18, PCB sources said. “Shaharyar will try to convince Mahendra to support his proposal of third-country umpires in one-day internationals. No one can deny the importance of India in the ICC,” the sources said. The PCB submitted its proposal for neutral umpires in one day internationals after some poor umpiring cost Pakistan dearly in the tri-series finals against Australia last month. At present, under ICC rules, out of the two on-field umpires, one is from the host nation while the other is from a third country. The ICC had included Pakistan’s proposal in the agenda for its executive board meeting. — PTI |
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New Delhi, March 1 Besides Kumble, the other, Indians in the top 10 were Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh who occupied the ninth and tenth positions, respectively, in the list released by ESPN-Star Sports. In the ODI bowling ratings, Australian Glenn McGrath took the top spot, followed by compatriot Brett Lee. Among the batsmen, England’s Andrew Strauss rode on his excellent form against South Africa to vault to the top of the ratings. Indian opener Virender Sehwag was placed sixth while Rahul Dravid was on eighth. The ODI batting table was also led by an Englishman with Kevin Pietersen perched on top. The only Indian to figure in the top 10 was Sachin Tendulkar at number 10. The team rankings saw Australia continue their stay at the top in both Test and ODI rankings. England were in second place, followed by India. In the ODI rankings, Australia were followed by Sri Lanka while India were languishing at the eighth spot, ahead of only Zimbabawe and Bangladesh. — PTI
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Australia thrash New Zealand
Wellington, March 1 After dismissing New Zealand for 233 on the penultimate ball of their 50 overs, Australian captain Adam Gilchrist led a rollicking response that saw the tourists reach the target in the 34th over for the loss of just three wickets. Gilchrist and Simon Katich opened with a 78-run partnership in 60 balls, and destroyed the morale of New Zealand’s bowling attack as Australia cruised through the fourth one-day match to stay on course for a 5-0 clean sweep. It was a timely return to form for Gilchrist who had been out of sorts earlier in the first three matches, as he smacked 54 from 37 balls, including eight fours and a six. Not to be outdone, Damien Martyn hit an unbeaten 65 from 78 balls, and Andrew Symonds had three sixes and four fours in his 48 off 37 balls. The rout came after New Zealand had made their best start of the series with an 84-run opening stand by Nathan Astle and Stephen Fleming. Batting first for the first time in the series after Gilchrist won the toss, Fleming and Astle raced along at five an over in the highest opening stand against Australia by any side in the past 12 months. After opening stands of 13, four and seven in the series to date, Astle and Fleming relished the good pitch and were largely untroubled by the pace duo of Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath. Fleming was hit on the arm early on by Lee but then took charge, hitting his 37 off 52 balls, including a hooked six off Jason Gillespie. Gillespie, however, broke the partnership in the 17th over when Fleming hit him to Lee at mid on. Lee was earlier spelled after conceding 20 runs off four wicketless overs. Astle, who charged McGrath to hit consecutive boundaries down the ground, tried it once too often to Australia’s fourth paceman Michael Kasprowicz and edged a catch to wicketkeeper Gilchrist. Astle also scored 37 off 61 balls, including six fours. But once New Zealand were reduced to 90 for two, after both openers fell within 14 balls of each other, Australia gained control and never relinquished it. Scoreboard
New Zealand Fleming c Lee b Gillespie 37 Astle c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 37 Cumming c Clarke b McGrath 10 Marshall c and b Clarke 23 McMillan lbw Hopes 35 Marshall c Gilchrist b Gillespie 9 Cairns c Martyn b Lee 36 McCullum c Katich b Lee 17 Wilson lbw b McGrath 1 Mills run out 4 Hamilton not out 2 Extras: (b-1 lb-12 w-5 nb-4) 22 Total: (all out, 49.5 overs) 233 FoW:
1-84 2-90 3-104 4-145 5-163 6-173 7-214 8-220 9-226 10-233. Bowling: Lee 9-1-41-2, McGrath 9.5-1-48-2, Gillespie 10-0-46-2, Kasprowicz 8-2-34-1, Hopes 10-1-38-1, Clarke 3-0-13-1. (Australia) Gilchrist c McMillan b Wilson 54 Katich c McCullum b Cairns 43 Martyn not out 65 Symonds c Wilson b McMillan 48 Clarke not out 10 Extras: (lb-3, w-8, nb-5) 16 Total:
(3 wkts, 34.2 overs) 236 FoW: 1-78, 2-113, 3-212. Bowling: Mills 7-1-37-0, Hamilton 8-0-67-0, Wilson 9-0-68-1, Cairns 6-0-30-1, McMillan 4.2-0-31-1.
— AFP, Reuters |
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Abbas Ali slams ton
New Delhi, March 1 Bangladesh, making their debut in the competition, could hardly do anything to stop the left-handed Madhya Pradesh batsman, who came to the crease when the hosts, after electing to bat, were in a bit of trouble at 24 for two. Ali (122) got fine support from Devendra Bundela, another MP player, who was unbeaten on 83 at stumps and the duo put on 214 for the third wicket to put Central Zone in a commanding position at the Karnail Singh stadium. Scoreboard
Central Zone (1st innings): Bangar lbw b Jubair 11 Pagnis lbw b Anwar Hussain 12 Bundela batting 83 Ali c Razzaq b Kapali 122 Yadav batting 10 Extras: (b-1, lb-5, nb-4) 10 Total (3 wkts, 90 overs) 248 FoW: 1-16, 2-24, 3-238. Bowling:
N. Hussain 9-3-25-0, A. Hussain 15-6-40-1, Jubair 23-3-74-1, Razzaq 17-6-39-0, Rana 16-3-50-0, Kapali 10-5-14-1.
— PTI |
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South Zone recover after Nehra burst
Indore, March 1 South’s innings was built mainly around opener Robin Uthappa’s 80, who hit 15 fours, his century stand with Sridharan Sriram (25) and the 87-run stand for the fifth wicket between V.V.S. Laxman (55) and veteran Sridharan Sharath (60). Wicketkeeper Dinesh Kaarthick, named in India’s squad for the first Test against Pakistan, remained unbeaten with 49. For North, left-arm paceman Nehra showed a pleasing return to his wanted form ahead of the Test series against Pakistan with incisive spells and at the end of the day, returned with figures of 4 for 110 in 23 overs.
— PTI |
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Sania upsets Kuznetsova in Dubai Open, Dubai, March 1 Sania, a wild card entrant, showed great character and played some solid tennis to upset her much higher ranked opponent in the second round of the high-profile tournament being played at the Dubai Tennis Stadium. The 18-year-old girl from Hyderabad will face the winner of the match between Elia Silvia Farina of Italy and 28th seed Jelena Jankovic in the quarterfinal. The 18th seed Farina had handed United States’ Venus Williams a rare first round defeat yesterday. Kuznetsova raced to a 4-0 lead, giving enough indications of the things to come. But Sania had other plans as she won the next six games in a row to take the first set. Sania was always on top in the second set as she took the opening game easily before Kuznetsova levelled the score. The two then held their serves as the score reached 2-2 before Sania stepped on the gas winning the next four games on the trot to book a berth in the last eight stage of the event. — PTI
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Budget allocates Rs 45.5 crore for C’wealth Games
New Delhi, March 1 “The plan outlay for 2005-06 also includes provision for creating infrastructure for hosting the Commonwealth Games 2010,” said the Budget documents presented by Mr Chidambaram in Parliament yesterday. The budgetary support for the Commonwealth Games infrastructure this year was more than the additional allocation of Rs 43.31 crore for 2005-06 over the total Plan and non-Plan Budget of Rs 269.48 crore for the fiscal year ending March 31. The Indian Olympic Association had estimated a requirement of Rs 1,000 crore for setting up infrastructure for hosting the games, including refurbishment of existing stadium and a couple of new ones and creating housing facilities for sportspersons and foreign contingents. In view of 2005 being marked as the International Year for Physical Education and Sports, India would also take initiatives for providing improved “scientific and technical support to sportspersons competing in various national and international events,” the minister informed Parliament. A new scheme was also being formulated to promote sports for sportspersons with disabilities. With India having become a signatory to the Copenhagen Declaration on Anti-Doping in Sports, “a National Anti-Doping Agency is being set up, which will be functional during 2005-06,” the Budget said. Last year, two Indian women weightlifters were sent back from the Olympic Games in Athens after they tested positive for banned substances. The sports plan for 2005-06 also foresaw a major thrust on rural games, school games and broad-basing of sports and talent-search
programmes. To this end, “the State Sports Academy Scheme is being revamped to make it more effective”, the Budget said.
— IANS |
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Kasparov holds aggressive Anand
Linares, March 1 Kasparov, with his effort, remained atop the tables in this category-20 double round-robin tournament being played under classical time control. While the Russian has 3.5 points in the event from his five games played so far, Anand and Bulgarian Veselin Toaplov are half a point adrift on three points from as many games. Fide world champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov also has three points but he has used up six games to achieve that and Corus champion Peter Leko has played five games for his 2.5 points. Britain’s Michael Adams, who had a bye in round 6, is next in line on 2/5 while Francisco Pons Vallejo of Spain continued to struggle in the event with just one point in his bag from five games. Eight rounds still remain in this 297000 euro prize money tournament. Anand took his chances with white pieces against Kasparov and was almost rewarded when suddenly the hot favourite came out with a terrific defensive resource. Playing white, the Indian ace was surprised early in the opening as Kasparov went for the Sicilian Sveshnikov rather than his trademark Nazdorf. The reason for Kasparov’s choice was simple. Anand has not been having a good time against this opening in the recent past as in the last Corus chess tournament he could muster just one point out of 3 games with his white pieces playing against it. However, this time Anand was better prepared as he got a good position soon after the middle game arrived and started exerting pressure on the queen side. Kasparov, on the other hand, was also quite up to the task in working out his counter-play on the other flank and when Anand started advancing his passed pawn on the queen side, the Russian was quick to get all his pieces to attack the white king. The final position after 44 moves was picturesque as both players had a queen and one minor piece each in addition to pawns on the seventh rank.
— PTI |
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East Bengal edge out Goan club
Margao, March 1 After a barren first half, East Bengal drew first blood in the 55th minute through Climax Lawrence when Bhaichung Bhutia after dodging past rival defender Bibian Fernanades, passed to Climax, who made no mistake to make it 1-0. The lead was shortlived as Sporting restored parity in the 61st minute through Dudu Omagbhemi off a penalty. Refree Rizwan-ul-Haq awarded a spot kick in favour of Sporting when Adewasi Adebayo was brought down in the penalty area by East Bengal’s Jeremiah. Dudu converted the spot kick to make it 1-1. East Bengal went into the lead in the 67th minute through Jeremiah when Bhiachung Bhutia headed towards Jeremiah, who tapped the ball into the goal. It was following a flag kick taken by Alvito d’Cunha to make it 2-1. Sporting made desperate attempts for the equaliser, but East Bengal defenders stood like a rock and thwarted all moves by Sporting in the second half. With this win, East Bengal increased their points tally to 24 points and remained at the top of the table. Sporting Club de Goa remained on the same sixth place with 13 points from seven matches.
— UNI |
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Dubai, March 1
