 |
|
|
Tendulkar is back; Zaheer Khan, Nehra dropped
Ganguly to be examined on Tuesday
Sreesanth owes it to discipline
Pawar quits BCCI’s marketing committee Hayden, Gilchrist lead Australian charge
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Viswanathan Anand settles for a draw
San Luis (Argentina), October 14 Viswanathan Anand took an exciting draw with Russian Alexander Morozevich while Bulgarian Veselin Topalov emerged as the new world champion after drawing with Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan in the 13th and penultimate round of the World Chess Championship here.
National pool meet begins
Olympian dead
Cyclist banned
|
|
Tendulkar is back; Zaheer Khan, Nehra dropped
Chandigarh, October 14 Sreesanth, adjudged man of the series in the Challenger Trophy, became the second pace bowler from Kerala to make it to the national squad in recent times, the first being Tinu Yohannan. Also finding a place in the one-day national squad for the first time was Delhi opener Gautam Gambhir, who had played in Tests. The team went as per indications and form, with Sachin Tendulkar returning to the team after a long layoff due to injury. Although Sachin did not get the runs in the matches he played in the Challenger Trophy, his inclusion in the team was never in doubt, with coach Greg Chappell indicating that Sachin’s presence in the dressing room was enough reason to have him in the team. Falling by the wayside were pacemen Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra, two members of the squad which toured Zimbabwe recently. Dethroned captain Sourav Ganguly was also not included in the squad for the first two matches of the seven-match series due to injury, which was also the reason for the omission of Mohammad Kaif, who was injured in the course of the Challenger Trophy. Ganguly would be examined in Mumbai and could be selected for the remaining matches, according to the selectors. But a huge question mark remained on his inclusion, given that he had been woefully out of form and was yet to regain touch. He would have to play in domestic matches before playing for the country, as per the BCCI policy. Selection committee chairman Kiran More, who was present at the press conference where the team was announced by BCCI Secretary S.K. Nair, said he had talked to skipper Rahul Dravid, now in Sydney, before picking the team. The selectors reposed faith in some of the youngsters they had selected for the last two one-day tournaments in Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. Suresh Raina, R.P. Singh and Y. Venugopala Rao, who had good outings in the Challenger Trophy, were retained. “Our idea is to give the youngsters a chance to prove their worth. So we have persisted with most of them,” More said. Asked about the omission of V.V.S. Laxman, who had again failed to get a place in the one-day team, More said, “We have not closed the door on him.” The omission of Anil Kumble and Laxman indicated that the selectors were trying to groom a squad keeping the 2007 World Cup in mind. Kumble had been nursing an injury sustained in Zimbabwe and his fitness would be reviewed on October 18. Harbhajan Singh, who did not hit peak form in the Challenger Trophy in spite of playing on home turf, and Murali Kartik were included in the squad. The new ball would be shared by Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, Sreesanth and R.P. Singh. With Zaheer and Nehra waiting in the wings, the new-ball bowlers would be under tremendous pressure to perform, a good thing for Indian cricket. The team would attend a three-day camp in Bangalore from October 19 to 21. Squad:
Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Y. Venugopala Rao, Suresh Raina, M.S. Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Murali Kartik, Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, J.P. Yadav, S. Sreesanth, Gautam Gambhir and R.P. Singh. |
|
Ganguly to be examined on Tuesday
Mumbai, October 14 “It has been postponed to October 18 since Dr Joshi is not available on Monday. He has gone abroad and will return on October 18. Dr Joshi is expected to see Ganguly sometime that evening,” BCCI executive secretary in-charge Ratnakar Shetty said today. Team physiotherapist John Gloster would be present. Fans protest
Kolkata:
A group of 25 persons staged a demonstration and burnt an effigy of selection committee chairman Kiran More here on Friday, protesting against the removal of Sourav Ganguly from captaincy and his non-inclusion in the squad for the first two
one-dayers against Sri Lanka. The demonstrators, led by a local politician, raised slogans, condemning the selection panel for “conspiring against Ganguly”. The demonstrators alleged that the selectors had done injustice to the cricketer from Bengal.
— PTI
|
|
|
Sreesanth owes it to discipline
Chandigarh, October 14 The tournament provided a clutch of young pace bowlers an opportunity to showcase their talent. Chairman of selection committee Kiran More and other national selectors were there in attendance. Greg Chappell, who has been advocating the need to have a bigger pool of players in selecting the national team, was there, keeping a hawk’s eye on the young performers in view of the hectic calendar ahead. But among the host of seamers out to catch the eye, nobody could do as well as the 22-year-old Kerala seamer. Sreesanth stood out with his impressive bowling and was easily the best seamer on view during the four-day competition. While others did well in patches, Sreesanth was consistent throughout. In the first match, the sprightly seamer rattled the India Seniors’ batsmen. In the space of just a couple of deliveries, Sreesanth threatened to change the course of the match. He sent Sachin Tendulkar and skipper Mohammad Kaif back in the pavilion in a jiffy. He bowled Y. Venugopala Rao off the very first delivery, which unfortunately for him, turned out to be a no-ball. Yuvraj Singh had a close shave. Had the confident caught-behind appeal off Sreesanth been upheld, India Seniors would been in the soup. In the next match, he was the best seamer on view. His opening spell was effective and miserly, in which he claimed the scalp of the dangerous Gautam Gambhir. He returned for a second spell to cut short the brilliant knock of India A skipper V.V.S. Laxman when the Hyderabadi was threatening to put the match beyond the reach of India B. It was the track on which his illustrious peers had struggled. In the final against India Seniors, Sreesanth was back in business, doing the job effectively for his skipper. Though India B lost, Sreesanth finished with a three-wicket haul. Bowling in the right areas and making batsmen play most of the time is Sreesanth’s forte. The nagging accuracy with which he bowls does not allow batsmen to relax. Getting the ball to dart in and out, he keeps batsmen guessing. Since he has been picked in the squad, it is up to him to do well on the highest stage. Provided he gets the crucial break for a reasonable period of time as Sreesanth looks like a talent that needs to be backed. |
|
|
Pawar quits BCCI’s marketing committee
Mumbai, October 14 Pawar resigned citing lack of time following the earthquake relief work as he is also the chief of the Disaster Management Committee, a source in the MCA said here today. The marketing committee is scheduled to meet on Sunday to decide upon the television rights for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour of India which begins at Nagpur on October 25. Mr Pawar sent a letter to the cricket board stating that he was resigning as a member of the BCCI marketing committee, the source said, adding that in the letter Pawar has stated because of his busy schedule in the government's disaster management cell he would not be able to devote time to the committee's matters. Pawar had been inducted into the marketing committee at the Kolkata AGM of the board, which was adjourned last month. The committee, which will be meeting on Sunday, is expected to open the sealed technical bids received by it for the telecast rights for the next fours years. However, they would not be disclosing the outcome of the bids as the Delhi High Court has passed an order in which the BCCI has been allowed to open the bids but has directed not to disclose the outcome of the meeting following the filing of a petition on the telecast rights issue.
— UNI
|
|
Hayden, Gilchrist lead Australian charge
Sydney, October 14 Hayden made a determined 111 while Gilchrist finished the day unbeaten on 94 when bad light ended play five overs early at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Hayden and Gilchrist also shared a 97-run partnership for the fifth wicket as the world champions recovered from a middle-order slump to pile on the runs against a World XI still licking their wounds from last week’s 0-3 loss in the one-day series. The World XI made a perfect start when Steve Harmison clean bowled opener Justin Langer for a duck off the third ball of the match. Harmison, overlooked for the one-day series, sent Langer tumbling to the pitch with his second delivery and then knocked his off-stump out of the ground with the next ball. Harmison’s England team-mate Andrew Flintoff captured the wicket of Australian captain Ricky Ponting for 46. Luck seemed to be going their way as three Australians, Michael Clarke, Simon Katich and Shane Watson, were given out by the video umpire as part of an experiment into the increased use of technology. Clarke left the field shaking his head in disbelief after being adjudged to have been caught bat-pad for 39. Katich was run out for a duck and Watson was trapped leg before wicket to Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan for 24. Their dismissals threatened to ruin Australia’s hopes of building a big total on a placid Sydney pitch, offering little encouragement to either pace or spin. Muralitharan was the pick of the World XI bowlers, capturing two wickets from 30 overs, while Harmison, Flintoff and New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori took one apiece. Hayden, whose international career was in jeopardy before he scored a century in the last Ashes Test, repaid the selectors for their faith with his 22nd Test hundred. The broad-shouldered Queenslander began cautiously, scoring just 28 in the morning session, before accelerating after lunch. He twice got the benefit of the doubt to loud leg before wicket appeals, including one which was referred to the video umpire, before reaching his hundred after tea off 161 balls when he drove Harmison to the boundary. He was dismissed after tea for 111, caught by Jacques Kallis off Muralitharan. Ponting looked to be in great touch as he got within sight of a half century before an uncharacteristic error brought him undone just before lunch. Ponting struck six fours and a six and looked to be on his way to a bigger score when he tried to glance a ball from Flintoff through the vacant gully area, only to misjudge the angle and be caught by a diving Kallis at second slip. The most contentious video decision was Clarke’s, who was given out caught by Virender Sehwag off Vettori, despite some doubt as to whether the ball had clipped the inside of his bat. South African umpire Rudi Koertzen referred the matter to video umpire Darrell Hair, but gave him out when Hair reported back that the television replays were inconclusive. Gilchrist, player of the series in last week’s three one-dayers in Melbourne, was in a typically aggressive mood. He smashed eight boundaries and four sixes off only 109 balls to remain six runs away from his hundred at close, with Shane Warne on one. Scoreboard Australia (1st innings) Langer b Harmison 0 Hayden c Kallis Ponting c Kallis b Flintoff 46 Clarke c Sehwag b Vettori 39 Katich run out 0 Gilchrist not out 94 Watson lbw b Muralitharan 24 Warne not out 1 Extras
(b-5 lb-6 nb-5) 16 Total (6 wkts, 85 overs) 331 Fall of wickets:
1-0, 2-73, 3-154, 4-163, 5-260, 6-323. Bowling: Harmison 16-3-55-1, Flintoff 15-3-55-1, Kallis 7-1-35-0, Muralitharan 30-3-102-2, Vettori 17-3-73-1.
— Reuters |
Viswanathan Anand settles for a draw
San Luis (Argentina), October 14 The draw by Anand meant that he would now have to battle it out for the second place with Russian Peter Svidler in a final-round showdown. Topalov emerged as the winner with his sixth draw on the trot after he raced to 6.5 points out of 7 in the first half. It was a difficult endgame against Kasimdzhanov that Topalov survived in the penultimate-round game. There was no change in the standings after the 13th round as the other two games of the day were drawn. Svidler took it easy against Hungarian Judit Polgar and Briton Michael Adams settled for draw against another Hungarian, Peter Leko. Anand tried his best, but Morozevich was quite up to the task in handling a direct attack against his king. The Winawer variation in the French defence has been Anand’s pet for a long time and he went for the blood right from the word go in the engrossing encounter. Starting off with a thematic bishop sacrifice, Anand sacrificed another piece looking for checkmate. He eventually sacrificed the queen also, but all that remained was perpetual checks.
— PTI |
|
|
City rallyists to compete with national champs
Chandigarh, October 14 Besides the city champions, the rally will have the best drivers of the country like Asia Zone rally champion and four-time Indian national champion Naren Kumar, current championship leader Arjun Kumar and Vikram Mathais. The speed merchants will test their skills on narrow, gravel and treacherous mountain tracks of Garkhal, Subathu, Vatnaghat and Solan. Aiming to participate in Asia Pacific, MRF driver Karandip, the national champion of 2000, will participate in 1600 cc class while member of J K Tyres team Sidhu will compete in Gypsy class. Earlier, Sidhu has asserted his class at the recently concluded K1000 Bangalore rally by registering his first victory in the current season of INRC in the Gypsy class. While the MRF-sponsored Karandip finished second in their 1600 cc class. Meanwhile, the rally, for which only 30 entries will be accepted till October 17, would proceed towards a Spectator Super Special at Kalagram grounds after flagging off. After that the rally cars would compete on a two-km long challenging track in front of local crowd from close quarters. The event will conclude on October 23 at Kalagram. |
|
National pool meet begins
Chandigarh, October 14 Nearly 130 participants are taking part in the championship. The championship will end on October 18. Results of day one: Akshay Kumar (UP) b Satinder Singh (Punjab) 5-0, Gaurav Joshi (Punjab) b Master Gupta (Punjab) 5-0, Anjelo Johnson (Tamil Nadu) b Saurav Bhullar (Punjab) 5-0, Imran Khan(UP) b Anil Kumar (Punjab) 5-0, Nitin Anand (Punjab) b Mahesh (Tamil Nadu) 5-1, Dhruv Situvah (PSEB) b Sukhpreet Singh (Punjab) 5-2, Amardeep (Chandigarh) b Vikramjeet (Punjab) 5-4, Divya Sharma (Haryana) b Bharat Doshi (Punjab) 5-2, D Lilly (Punjab) b Rahul Arora(Punjab) 5-0, R.B. Gambhir (Tamil Nadu) b Varun (Punjab) 5-4, Neeraj Kumar (Bihar)b Jageet(Punjab) 5-2, Hitesh Soni(Punjab) b G.Mahajan (Chandigarh) 5-3, Kamal Chawala (Madhya Pardesh) b Behl (Punjab) 5-1, Siddharth Anand b Sanjay (Punjab) 5-1, Manoj Tyagi(Delhi) b Sunil Pahwa(Punjab) 5-1, Navpreet (Punjab) b Kaka(Punjab) 5-2, DR Cannon (Delhi) b Sunny Chadha(Chandigarh) 5-2, Antim Sujant (Tamil Nadu )b Sahil (Punjab) 5-2, Sachin(Chandigarh) b Suresh(Punjab), Mohd.Asim (Rly) w/o Harh Rai, Romy Malik (Punjab) b Sudarshan (Tamil Nadu) 5-4, Pompy b Prince 5-2, Alok Kumar (Punjab) b Manoj (Punjab), Shamit Sharma (Chandigarh) b Sameer Sharma 5-3. |
|
Olympian dead
Ludhiana, October 14 The sports fraternity expressed shock over his demise. Office-bearers of various sports organisations expressed sympathies with the aggrieved family. |
||
|
Cyclist banned
Patiala, October 14 The cyclist had tested positive for Nandrolone, a banned steroid, during the National Mountain Bike Championship, held in Hyderabad from July 22 to 25. Harikurwar had represented Karnataka in the meet and had finished third in the one-lap time trial race.
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Chandigarh, October 14
