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Pressure on India to save the series
We have potential to tie the series: Dravid
We are determined, confident: Inzamam
Pitch dilemma
for captains |
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High security at stadium, hotel
Beloff favours Sourav’s written submissions
Tamil Nadu, BPCL in last eight
Doubles’ crown for Sanam-Jeevan
Rushmi loses in final
Pak hockey veterans win
Himalaya House corner glory
Johl puts Asia
ahead
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Pressure on India to save the series
New Delhi, April 16 Having frittered away a 2-0 lead to find themselves trailing 2-3 in the series, the hosts are in total disarray and have no option but to plug their bowling loopholes in the crucial match being held amidst unprecedented security arrangements. Inzamam-ul-Haq and his band of glory seekers crossed the border last month as underdogs and, after having drawn the Test series 1-1, are now in a position to script a stunning come-from-behind one-day series win in what promises to be another absorbing contest between the traditional rivals at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground. The Indians will go into the match without Sourav Ganguly with the cricket board deciding not to make any changes in the squad though the out-of-form skipper is eligible to play pending a resolution to his appeal against the six-match ban. Although the series has reached a climax, the focus will surely be on President Musharaf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who will watch the initial stages of the proceedings along with a galaxy of VVIPs and political leaders. The presence of so many dignitaries has led to an unprecedented security cover at the Kotla, which had raced against time to be ready for the grand occasion, though the renovation work has still not been fully completed. But despite all the VVIP movements, the real action will unfold on the 22-yard strip, which holds the key to the fortunes of both teams, who are equally determined to win the last match. Nobody is willing to predict as to how the newly laid track at the Kotla will behave, but going by the few trial matches held here, the ball is likely to keep low. In other words, it could mean a low-scoring match as the low-bounce will make strokeplay a difficult proposition, unlike the other matches in the series, which have all been high-scoring affairs. The Pakistanis have shown great character and resilience to bounce back from a 0-2 deficit and Inzamam, who has often been criticised for his laid-back style of captaining, has silenced his detractors to a great extent. The burly Pakistani captain has not only led from the front with some superb knocks, but has held the young team together after the two early defeats. His players have now responded and Shahid Afridi, who pulverised the Indians with a 46-ball 102 in Kanpur, has acknowledged that he could play such a blistering knock only because his captain has the faith in him. The visitors have ensured that they cannot lose the series, which will help them to go into the match in a more relaxed frame of mind. The Indians will be more desperate as their pride is at stake. The Indians have a lot of problems, particularly in the bowling department. The bowling has suddenly looked extremely ordinary, with no one really being able to put the brakes on the rampaging Pakistanis. The hosts have to quickly find a way to stop Afridi, who can be the most destructive batsman when he gets going, like he did in Kanpur, where most of the other batsmen struggled. Afridi can quickly change the complexion of the game and the Indians must have a strategy in place to prevent him from giving a flying start. The home team had gone into the Kanpur match with two specialist spinners Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble, but it remains to be seen whether the team management opts for the double spin formula for tomorrow’s match. Both spinners proved to be quite costly, but then Afridi was simply unstoppable yesterday. The Indian pacemen —Zaheer Khan, Lakshmipathy Balaji and Ashish Nehra — have expectedly found very little assistance from the tracks and will therefore, have to stick to a good line and length to contain the run flow. The bowlers face a real challenge as most of the Pakistani batsmen have been in good form and the visitors also have the batting depth as they have a number of allrounders. It is the presence of players like Abdul Razzak, Shoaib Malik and Afridi, all capable allrounders, which has given Pakistan a clear edge in the series and Inzamam will be hoping that his allrounders click again in the crucial tie tomorrow. Virender Sehwag holds the key to India’s fortunes. In current form, he is by far the most destructive batsman in the Indian camp, and it eases a lot of pressure on the other batsmen when he gets going. Sachin Tendulkar also gave glimpses of his vintage form when he cracked a century in the Ahmedabad match and the team will be looking to him for another such effort to save the series. The Indians could have given the perfect farewell gift to coach John Wright by winning the ODI series, but now that they have messed it up, they can at least draw the series to ensure that the former New Zealand captain does not end his long stint on a losing note. It will be the last day in office for the amiable Wright, who has not only worked to bring in more discipline, but has raised the fitness level of the players since taking over as the coach in 2000. Over 2000 Pakistani fans will flock the Kotla to cheer for Inzamam and his men and it will be yet another opportunity for cricket lovers of both countries to sit together and celebrate a game which has served as a vehicle for promoting peace and friendship among the two countries. The teams (from): India: Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, M.S. Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Dinesh Mongia, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Anil Kumble, L. Balaji, Ashish Nehra, M. Kartik, S. Sriram, Ajit Agarkar. Pakistan: Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain), Younis Khan, Salman Butt, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Yousuf Youhana, Kamran Akmal, Danish Kaneria, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Mohammad Sami, Arshad Khan, Rao Iftekhar Anjum, Shahid Nazir, Asim Kamal and Mohd Hafeez.
— PTI |
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We have potential to tie the series: Dravid
New Delhi, April 16 Dravid said the three consecutive defeats would not affect the confidence level of the team, which would try out some different strategies to contain Pakistan who had an unassailable 3-2 lead. “It is not nice to lose three games in a row. We have played some good cricket during the series and we just need to have a good day on the field. The boys are confident of doing it,” Dravid said at a pre-match press conference here. “We lost the last game because of the exceptional knock of (Shahid) Afridi. That made all the difference. If we can get Afridi out early, it will help us. We believe it will be a close contest, the team that plays better on the day will win,” he said. Dravid said his team will have to sort out the weak areas in the bowling department. “We have done well in the first 15 overs in batting in most of the matches, but in bowling it has hurt us. We have tried out different strategies, but it has not worked. I can say that it is not because of a lackadisical attitude”, he said. “You really cannot do anything if somebody bats like Afridi (did). You just have to clap for a good knock,” he said. Asked whether the team would miss the services of Sourav Ganguly for the crucial tie, Dravid said, “At the end of the day, 15 guys are selected to do the job. People miss matches because of injuries. Everybody is keen to do well.” Dravid also did not agree that the Indians were going a little too defensive in the first 15 overs while bowling. “I do not think we have been going too defensive. It is not our strategy. We just assess the situation and see how we should play,” he said. On the pitch at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground, which had not really been tested, the Karnataka batsman said, “The pitch will be the same for both teams. We will go and have a look. I cannot say how it will play without seeing in, but as I said it will the same for both teams. No team will have an advantage or disadvantage.” Asked whether the team would continue to
experiment with Mahendra Singh Dhoni at the number three slot, Dravid said, “He has been playing well. All things start as an experiment. Even Sehwag was not a regular opener, but he has flourished in that role.” “With Sehwag and Tendulkar up the order, we think that Dhoni will give the impetus, he can give us that momentum. Nothing is written on a stone, so we have to be flexible,” he said. Dravid also defended the team management’s decision to go in with two specialist spinners in the Kanpur match, which India lost by five wickets. “It was a tough decision to leave out (Ashish) Nehra in the last game. He had been bowling well, but we thought the track would break up and we should play two specialist spinners. We may have to rethink on playing two spinners,” Dravid said. The acting captain did not agree that India had to review the seven batsmen formula just because the team had lost three matches on the trot. “We will finalise the team only after having a look at the wicket. We have gone with seven batsmen for a long time and there is no need to change that. It all depends on what the situation demands,” he said. “Most teams play with four specialist bowlers, but we do not have the luxury of genuine allrounders. We have (Dinesh) Mongia who can bowl a bit, but unfortunately, he had to bowl in the first 15 overs in the last match, which he is not used to. But I think the balance of our side is pretty good,” he said. On whether the team was motivated to win because it was coach John Wright’s last match, Dravid said, “There is always the motivation to win, whether it is somebody’s last match or not. John has been with the team for close to five years. It has been an eventful journey which has seen some ups and downs”. “We have valued his contribution. He will not only be missed as a coach, but also as a friend. It is time to celebrate some of the good moments the team has shared,” he added.
— PTI |
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We are determined, confident: Inzamam
New Delhi, April 16 Inzamam said the three consecutive wins has boosted the confidence of his players, who now believed that they could clinch the one-day series. “The boys have really worked hard and full credit to them. Having taken the lead, we now believe that we can win the series. We are in a good position and we will not let it go,” Inzamam said at a pre-match press conference. The visitors lost the first two matches, but bounced back brilliantly with three consecutive wins to take a 3-2 lead in the six-match series. “It is heartening to see the way we have fought back. Even in the Test series, we came from behind to draw level. The players have a lot of self-belief now,” Inzamam said. On whether he had proved a point to some of his detractors, who had questioned his leadership qualities after the disastrous tour of Australia, Inzamam said, “I have never tried to prove anything. When the team does not perform, there is criticism. You have to accept it.” “It is the job of the players to perform. Yes, I am quite happy with our performance during the tour of India,” he said. Inzamam said the fighting spirit displayed by his players had been the biggest gain during the tour. “When we came here, we were written off, but I am happy that we have been able to fight back. The results are there to be seen,” he said. On the pitch at the Ferozeshah Kotla, Inzamam said, “I cannot say anything on the track till I see it. Both teams will have to play on the same track.” Inzamam also had some sympathy for banned Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, saying the penalty appeared to be a little harsh. “I am a captain myself and such a thing can happen to me also. I think it is a slightly harsh decision (to suspend him for six
One-Day Internationals), he said. The Pakistani captain also said the absence of Ganguly would benefit his team to some extent. “He has been the captain for close to four years, so if he not playing it can be an
advantage for us,” he said. Inzamam said paceman Mohammad Sami had still not fully recovered from injury and the doctor and physio would evaluate his fitness in the evening. “Only after getting the doctor’s report, will we decide whether to include him in the team,” he said. On whether the presence of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf would put additional pressure on his team, Inzamam said in a lighter vein,” Both the Heads of State will be present, so both the teams will be under pressure”.
— PTI |
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Pitch dilemma for captains
New Delhi, April 16 The first thing both Rahul Dravid and Inzamam-ul-Haq did after reaching Delhi today was to address a customary press conference before dashing off to Kotla to have a look at the pitch, which had been relaid recently. Both captains spent some time in the middle inspecting the pitch, which looked totally flat with absolutely no grass cover, before heading back to the team hotel to prepare the gameplan for the all-important tie. The last time a one-dayer was held here was in January 2001, when England beat India by two runs in a tight contest which produced close to 550 runs. But much had changed since then as the Kotla had seen some major renovation work, including relaying of a new pitch. The wicket was a major concern for tomorrow’s match, with doubts arising over whether it could last the full 100 overs of the match. “It will definitely last. I do not see any reason that anyone should feel concerned about it,” curator Radheshyam Sharma said. “There will be a lot of runs. Batting will be easy as the day progresses. The more the sun shines, the better for batsmen. I cannot say how many runs it will produce, but this will be the best pitch in India,” the curator added. If the curator was to be believed, the team winning the toss would have no hesitation in opting to bat first since the pitch was expected to be batsmen-friendly as the match progressed. Both Dravid and Inzamam, who had their first look of the track in the afternoon, played down the pitch factor at a press conference earlier in the day. “The pitch will be the same for both teams. I cannot say how it will play without seeing in, but as I said it will the same for both teams. No team will have an advantage or disadvantage,’ Dravid said. — PTI
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High security at stadium, hotel
New Delhi, April 16 Snipers and commandos from Delhi police, the NSG and the ITBP have been deployed at vantage positions in and around the ground and all entrances to it have been sealed. Security personnel have sanitised the cricket ground and anti-sabotage checks are being conducted continuously at the ground which has been readied for the high-profile match to be watched by many other VVIPs. Security personnel have also been deployed along the route upto the ground, with sharp-shooters taking positions on rooftops of buildings flanking the road. Taj Hotel, where General Musharraf will stay along with his entourage, has also been fortified, with deployment of hordes of security personnel, including those in plain clothes, swarming the premises. The ninth floor of the building, where General Musharraf and his delegation will stay, has been made out of bounds. Squads of sniffer dogs are making frequent rounds at both venues several times to leave nothing to chance. A helipad has been constructed at the Ambedkar Stadium, adjacent to the Kotla, where two helicopters will be kept ready to evacuate the dignitaries in case of any emergency. Barricades have been set up along the route to Kotla and Taj Hotel, and intensified patrolling by Police Control Room vehicles is being undertaken around these places. As part of heightened security for the high-profile one-dayer, spectators will not be allowed to carry any objects inside the stadium during the match. Spectators will not be permitted to carry anything inside the stadium, including binoculars, transistors, cell phones, cameras, handbags or water bottles. The police has advised the spectators to reach the stadium early and gain entry well before 8 am, an hour before the scheduled start of play. People have also been asked to be watchful about unattended objects and persons arousing suspicion by their action and behaviour even outside the stadium, particularly at the parking sites.
— PTI |
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Beloff favours Sourav’s written submissions
London, April 16 The Indian captain has sought to have the matter heard at a second personal hearing via a telephone hook-up, but Beloff has indicated that he believes that a hearing based on the written submissions is the appropriate way to proceed. Beloff has sought Ganguly’s comments as to why a personal hearing is required as a matter of urgency, the ICC has said. Under the ICC Code of Conduct, the way in which an appeal is heard is at the discretion of the appointed Appeals Commissioner. Other Appeals Commissioners have elected to proceed on the basis of written submissions. In the previous case involving Ganguly, the Appeals Commissioner had elected to have the hearing via a telephone hook-up. In this case, Ganguly has provided Beloff with two written submissions totalling 17 pages, detailing the grounds for his appeal and the reasons why he believes the suspension should be overturned. Should Beloff elect to proceed on the basis of the written submissions, a decision on the merits of the appeal is expected to be made within the next 48 hours.
— PTI |
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Tamil Nadu, BPCL in last eight
Chennai, April 16 Tamil Nadu, who split points with Air-India on the opening day in Group B, came up with a heartening performance as they spanked their rivals by a big margin to qualify for the last eight. The outcome of the IOC-Air-India contest on Monday would decide the other qualifier from the group. It was a splendid start for BPCL in the tournament as their 4-1 victory over Mumbai put them straight into the quarterfinals, along with former champions Indian Railways in Group C. Mumbai, who had lost to Railways the other day, crashed out of the tournament from the three-team group and the April 18 clash between Railways and BPCL would decide the group topper. What started as a keen contest, turned into a lop-sided affair as the home team won the hearts of the holiday crowd with some scintillating display. Mohd Nawaz put IOC ahead in the ninth minute, before Tamil Nadu equalised through Hayath in the 29th minute. It was a nonchalant show in the second half, as Tamil Nadu pumped in five goals, with Hayath striking in the 41st and 61st minutes to take his tally to three goals. In between, Muthuselvan converted a penalty corner in the 39th minute, before Murugavel and Karthick swelled the tally in the closing stages to complete the rout. Earlier, in the other match, BPCL led 2-0 at half time through Sabu Varkey’s eighth minute goal and A. Aiyappa’s 17th minute strike. After Rajan Kakha reduced the margin for Mumbai in the 33rd minute, Pundalik Bellary made it 3-1 for BPCL in the 65th minute and Sukhbir S. Gill rounded off the tally, one minute from the hooter.
— UNI |
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Monaco, April 16 Federer’s 6-7 (1/7), 6-2, 7-6 (10/8) loss to the world number 101 yesterday was only his second in his last 53 matches, a run stretching back to the US Open last year.
It was an epic battle on centre court, with the 18-year-old wasting two match points before clinching his famous win in a nerve-shredding final set tiebreaker where Federer also threw away three match points of his own. “It is frustrating to lose and very disappointing,” said Federer who was chasing his sixth title of the year and was bidding to become the first man to win three Masters in a row. Gasquet next faced a semifinal clash against explosive Spanish 18-year-old Rafael Nadal, the number 11 seed, who crushed French Open champion Gaston Gaudio, the sixth-seeded Argentinian, 6-3, 6-0. Spain’s Juan Carlos Ferrero took a step closer to a third Monte Carlo Masters title with a 6-2, 6-3 quarterfinal win over Italy’s Filippo Volandri. The former French Open champion, who won back-to-back crowns here in 2002 and 2003, now faced defending champion Guillermo Coria, the sixth-seeded Argentinian, who put out Spain’s David Ferrer 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Injury halts Davenport Charleston (USA): World number one Lindsay Davenport retired from her quarter-final clash against Justine Henin-Hardenne at the WTA claycourt tournament here. The top-seeded American suffered a right hip flexor injury in the first set and retired in the third set. Belgium’s Henin-Hardenne, who had had plenty of experience with injuries herself, was leading the match 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 when Davenport retired.
— AFP
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Doubles’ crown for Sanam-Jeevan
New Delhi, April 16 Jeevan and Sanam defeated the fourth-seeded pair of sie and Uzawa 6-3, 6-2 to clinch the title, according to a press note. Sanam stayed on course for a double crown as he upset compatriot Vivek Shokeen to reach the final of the singles event as well. The Chandigarh led rellied from a set down to beat third seed Shokeen 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
— PTI |
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Mumbai, April 16 Chin-Wei, the second seed, defeated sixth seed Rushmi 6-4, 6-2 in 70 minutes. The Chinese Taipei girl committed fewer errors than the Indian, whose game swung from the good to the average, much to her chagrin. Rushmi, ranked 92 places below her rival at 372, and Chin-Wei traded service breaks in the third and fourth games of the first set before the Chinese Taipei girl broke the Indian player’s serve decisively in the seventh game and then went on to clinch it 6-4 in 40 minutes. Rushmi, who alternated between a double-fisted backhand to hit with power and a single-handed one for slicing the ball, was broken again in the third game of the second set, but then squandered two break points in the sixth. Chin-Wei then stepped up the tempo of her game to break the Indian’s serve again in the seventh for a 5-2 lead. The visitor then held her serve on her fifth match point, after duece was called twice, by drilling a forehand which brooked no return, to win the set in 30 minutes and clinch the title. — PTI
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Pak hockey veterans win
Amritsar, April 16 Pakistan veterans outwitted Indian players with their excellent ball control and short passes, which was made successful with their mutual understanding. Former Indian star Baljit Singh Dhillon scored the first goal in the very first minute through a penalty corner. Four minutes later, Rahim Khan scored the equaliser from a swift pass by Saleem Sherwani. In the 10th minute, Shahbaz Junior brought the lead to his team through a field goal from a beautiful pass by Jan Mohammad. He ruptured his muscle and remained out of the match. The game was divided in-to four quarters. Though the visitors took the lead in the first quarter, India mounted some attacks, which could not materialise. In the remaining three quarters, Pakistan veterans had longer ball control. From the game of Pakistan players, it looked that they were regularly playing and had prepared well. The second quarter remained goalless, but in the third, Pakistan added one more goal to their tally through Jan Mohammad in the 40th minute. He scored it from the top of the D through a pass by Sherwani. In the last quarter, India scored the second goal through Daljit Singh. Rahim Khan’s flick from the left flank was the last goal.
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Himalaya House corner glory
Sanawar, April 16 The winner in the boys category of the same age group was Ashutosh Singh Chandel of Nilagiri House who clocked 8:17:87 to cover the 2.2-km distance. Hodson Run is one of the most prestigious sporting events of the school. This annual feature is named after Major Hodson of Hodson Horse Regiment (now 4 Horse) who also contribute all the prizes for this race. In the open category, the winners among the girls and boys were Ritika Kaushik (Vindhya) and Angad Gund (Nilagiri), respectively. The Cowel Memorial Cup for the combined first position was awarded to Himalaya House. The results: Girls section: Under 11 — Disha Dopta (Himalaya) 1; Ina Kaushal (Vindhya)2; Damini Sachdeva (Siwalik) 3; U-13 — Harsimrith Thind (H)1; Natasha Sidhu (N) 2; Sahiba Bajwa (S)3; U-14 — Himani Rana (H) 1 (6:16:47-new record); Shreya Dadwal (H) 2; Euden Tenzing (V)3; U-16 — Arushi Dhingra (V) 1; Taruni Jain (H) 2; Rhea Cheema (N) 3; Open — Ritika Kaushik (V) 1(6:43:70) ; Impreet Sodhi (H) 2. Boys section: U-11 — Abel Abrol (N) 1; Karan Mittal (N); Dhananjay Abrol (H)3; U-13 — Damanjeet S. Masco (V)1; Arush Puri (V) 2; U-14 — Ashutosh S. Chandel (N) 1, Gurleen S. Bhatia (S); Sumit Kadyan (N)3; U-16 — Karan Hora (N) 1; Amitoz Singh (S) 2; Akash Singla (H) 3; Open — Angad Gund (N) 1 (12:42:20); Yajur Sharma (S) 2.
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Johl puts Asia
ahead
Shenzhen (China), April 16 Johl fired eight birdies over the World Cup Course at Mission Hills Golf Club, helping him and his partner Thammanoon Srirot of Thailand to a 3 & 2 victory over Japan’s Katsumasa Miyamoto and Hiroyuki Fujita. The point helped Asia take a one-point lead over Japan going into tomorrow’s singles. The Indian’s round was in stark contrast to his first day Foursomes match, where he and compatriot Jyoti Randhawa lost 3 & 2 against the same Japanese pairing. Johl began the second day with a birdie on the first hole, made three birdies on the trot from the sixth and helped close out his match with birdies on 11, 13, 15 and 16.
— PTI
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India may send junior football
team to Pak
New Delhi, April 16
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Sasikiran wins
Malmo (Sweden), April 16 |
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GAIL to sponsor
Harikrishna Gymkhana win Gesture praised Six-a-side cricket Patiala triumph Basketball meet Wushu tourney Netball series
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