SPORTS

Mongia defends Kotla defeat, blames it on pitch
Akash Ghai
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 19
“The cause of the Ferozeshah Kotla defeat against Pakistan was the deterioration of the pitch at the time when we came to bat in the second innings,” said Dinesh Mongia, member of the Indian cricket team. He came to the city yesterday, for a day after the debacle in the one-day series at the hands of Pakistan team in Delhi. He was scheduled to leave today for England for his county assignment. He had signed a contract with Leicestershire and would remain there till September.

“In fact, the Kotla stadium was not ready for an international match. It should have been shifted to some other venue. Despite the fact that the pitch deteriorated, we played the match with the positive frame of mind,” said Mongia.

Expressing satisfaction over his performance in the last two one-day matches against Pakistan, he thanked skipper Rahul Dravid for encouraging him during anxious moments in the matches. Justifying his early dismissal in the last match, he said that the pitch had played the spoilsport.

He was all praise for Indian coach John Wright, who raised the level of Indian cricket manifold during his stint. Upholding Wright’s statement about the potential of Indian team to win the 2007 World Cup at West Indies, Mongia matched the West Indies’ pitches with those in India.

“The Indians can take advantage of this factor provided they put up their best performance,” he asserted.

Terming his contract with Leicestershire a good opportunity, he said that he had a good reputation in England and to maintain it he would try to give his best. Differentiating between domestic cricket and county cricket, he rated the standards of county cricket very high. “I would play there for five months and would try hard to hone my bowling skills as I want to make my place in the national team as a full-time all-rounder,” he added.

Kotla match: Prabhakar backs Indian team
Kiran Deep
Tribune News Service

Ropar, April 19
It seemed strange that the all Indian players were not able to get even half of the runs made by Pakistan in the last one-day match recently. But the reason was obvious for most of the people associated with the cricket, as they knew that the pitch was not fit for the match.

Indian cricket team was not be blamed, which had suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Pakistan in one-day cricket match by 159 runs at Ferozeshah Kotla cricket stadium in Delhi, said former all-rounder, Manoj Prabhakar. He was here to launch skin-care products of his company.

The pitch was not fit for the match. It was a wrong decision to conduct an International match of such standards when pitch was not ready for a 100 over match. The organisers have to share the blame for defeat of the Indian cricket team, he added while talking to The Tribune.

He said that these days he watched only a few match as he utilised his time for his business.

“Cricketers are not like the film stars like Amitabh Bachchan who are still most popular and active in acting because in cricket at one point of time you have to leave it”, he said.

“When I was playing cricket I had fully devoted myself to the game. Even my family missed me a lot during those days. Time does remain same for every player. At one point of time you have to leave the cricket. Only a few cricketers could manage to continue with the game in others ways such as a commentator or as a coach but most of the players these days were busy in their own business after retirement”, he said.

Talking about his association with cricket these days Manoj said, “I am not cut of from cricket but it is not my passion or I am not involved in the cricket actively. I am running an academy in Delhi and after three years most of my trainee students are able to exhibit their skills. I did not promise that I would help them to get selected in Indian cricket but I have assured them that they would play standard cricket after completion of their training”.

Manoj, who came to limelight after his retirement from international cricket when he levelled allegations of match fixing against the senior cricketers said,“ When I raised voice against the corruption in the cricket no one stood by me. But I was confident and determined to bring the match fixing scandal before the people. Now things have become clear and my claims about match fixing in the cricket are also being proved”.

“Now there were more checks on the people associated with cricket. I am hopeful about young generation and enjoyed watching young cricketers playing cricket with enthusiasm,” he said.

“I am fully dedicated to business and have decided to organise seminars for the people running beauty parlours in every town. It’s important for the people who have been running beauty parlours that they know the methods to use the skin care products. I am satisfied with my work that my company is helping 150 families to earn their livelihood. Earlier, we had chain of beauty parlours and but had been facing problems of getting right products for skin care. Then only I had decided to launch a company to have our own quality products,” he said.

HSIDC reach cricket semifinal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 19
A fine knock by Arun Sood (51 n.o.) and good bowling by N.K. Neen (4 for 20) enabled the HSIDC score 8 wickets win over the Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) today and enter the semifinals of the 2nd Haryana Tourism Institutional Cricket Cup being held at Government College, Sector 11, here.

Opting to bat first after winning the toss, CWC batsmen failed to play the rival bowlers and could only manage to score 96 in 25 overs.

The HSIDC achieved the target in just 8 overs after losing 2 wickets.

In another match of the day, superb performances by Sumit (72 in 40 balls) and Mayank (46 in 26 balls) helped Saurav XI beat MCC XI, Mullahpur, by 11 runs and enter the second round of the 9th Haryana Tourism Cash Prize Cricket Tournament.

Put in to bat first, Saurav XI made 222 at the loss of 5 wickets in 22 overs. Sandeep contributed 21 for the team. Vishal 2 for 45, Abhishek 2 for 46.

While MCC XI could only manage to score 211 after losing 6 wickets.

Brief scores:

CWC 96 all out in 25 overs.

Raj Kumar 34, Arvind 15, Naresh 14, NK Neen 4 for 20, Raj Kumar 2 for 5, Narinder 2 for 17.

HSIDC 97 for 2 in 8 overs

Arun Sood 51 n.o., Jagmohan Negi 24, Narinder 15, Arvind 2 for 12, S.S. Sood 2 for 17.

Saurav XI 222 for 5 in 22 overs.

Sumit 72, Mayank 46, Sandeep 21 n.o., Amarjeet 13 n.o., Vishal 2 for 45, Abhishek 2 for 46.

MCC XI 211 for 6 in 22 overs.

Vishal 74, Subir 45, Babal 17, Happy 17, Harish 2 for 15, Munish 2 for 27.

Shoulin to meet Mandeep in semis
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 19
Left-handed Chandam Shoulin of Chandigarh stole the limelight in the boys’ Under-16 singles quarter-final match in the third leg of the AITA Talent Series Tennis Tournament being conducted by Yadavindra Public School , Mohali, at the CLTA Tennis Stadium, Sector 10, here, today.

Shaulin raced to an easy 6-4, 6-1 win over top-seeded Arvinder Pal Singh, also of Chandigarh. Shoulin will now meet Mandeep Yadav in the semi-final. Mandeep beat another local boy Saurav Sharma, in fiercely-fought three-set contest 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Another top seed to fall was Baljinder Kaur of Haryana who was defeated by sixth seed Noor Paul of Chandigarh . In a quarter-final match , Noor Paul rallied from one set down to win 2-6, 6-3, 7-5.

In girls’ under-16 quarters, Navjot had an easy round against Ankita of Chandigarh 6-0, 6-2. Top seed Poorna (Chd) and fifth seed Arushi Sharma of Delhi moved into semi-final and are scheduled to face each other in the final berth. In quarter-finals, Poorna defeated Saadgi Rajani of Gujarat 6-1, 6-1 and Arushi beat Prabhamrit of Chandigarh 6-2, 6-1.

Top seed Mandeep Singh Gill (Chd), would meet third seed Arjun Sehgal (Punjab) and fourth seed Fateh Singh Ladhar would face Ashwani in semi-finals.

Aryushi Sharma (Delhi), fourth seed Saadgi Rajani (Gujarat), sixth seed Mehak (Chd) and Navjot Singh (Chd) moved into girls Under-14 singles’ semi-finals.

Results (quarter-finals):

Boys Under-16 singles:

Chandam Shoulin (Chd) bt -Arvinder Pal Singh (Chd) 6-4, 6-1, Mandeep Yadav (Chd) bt Saurav Sharma (Pb) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 4-Harshvardhan Thirani (Guj) bt Amit Chauhan (Chd) 6-3, 6-3, Mandeep Singh Gill (Chd) bt -Abhairaj (Chd) 6-2, 6-1.

Boys Under-14 singles:

Mandeep Singh Gill (Chd) bt Amit Chauhan (Chandigarh) 6-3, 6-1, Arjun Sehgal (Punjab) bt Abhairaj (Chd) 6-1, 6-2, Fateh Singh Ladhar (Chd) bt Gaurav Inder Toor (Chd) 6-2, 6-2, Ashwani Kumar (Chd) bt Vaidik Munshaw (Guj) 6-1, 6-1.

Girls Under-16 singles:

Poorna (Chd) bt Saadgi Rajani (Guj) 6-1, 6-2, Arushi Sharma (Delhi) bt Prabhamrit Kaur (Chd) 6-2, 6-1, Navjot Saini (Punjab) bt Ankita (Chandigarh) 6-0, 6-2, Noor Paul (Chd) bt Baljinder Kaur (Haryana) 2-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Girls Under 14 singles

Arushi Sharma (Delhi) bt Roopamrit (Chd) 6-4, 6-3, Saadgi Rajani (Guj) bt Baljinder Kaur (Pb) 6-3, 6-3, Mehak (Chandigarh) bt Poorna (Chd) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, Navjot Saini (Pb) bt Noor Paul (Chd) 6-2, 6-1.

Anshul fashions CD victory
Tribune News Service

Mohali, April 19
A century by Shivam Khurana and a 13-wicket haul for just 25 runs in two innings by Anshul Tripathi enabled Chandigarh Diistrict to thrash Minor District in Under-15 Sushil Bali Cricket Tournament (Inter-district) at Punjab Cricket Association stadium here today. The tournament was organised by the PCA.

C D scored 409 in its first innings. M D were bundled out for just 102 runs as Anshul took 6 wickets for just 8 runs. M D conceded follow-on and Anshul again created havoc by claiming 5 wickets for 17 runs in the 2nd innings. Chandigarh won the match by an innings and 239 runs.

Brief score: CD (Ist innings) 409 runs (Shivam Khurana 136, Ankit Kaushik 98, Anshul Tripathi 74 n.o., Harpreet 7 for 122)

MD (Ist innings) 102 all out (Rahul 3 for 20, Anshul 6 for 8)

MD (IInd innings) 68 all out (Anshul 5 for 17, Vishal 2 for 36).