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India likely to continue
with experiments
Dravid rested, VRV Singh ruled out
Sahara set to clinch sponsorship deal
Pak hopes Karachi’s claim is not affected
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Pakistan A beat England by 6 wickets
Langer out of second Test
Women cricketers set for Lord’s debut
Assam defeat Railways
Indians archers have mixed luck
New stadia for swimming, athletics mooted
Golfers from Pak, India tee off today
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India likely to continue
with experiments
Rajkot, November 8 The hosts have already drawn some positives from their loss in Ahmedabad and it appears unlikely that they will deviate from their stated policy of providing rookies as many opportunities as possible in the run-up to the 2007 World Cup. The hosts rested key players, including Sachin Tendulkar, in the last match but both the captain and coach asserted after the loss that the performance of the newcomers was heartening and the benefits for Indian cricket would come in the long run. “Look, we need to balance between winning and experimenting ... Had we won with this young side, the benefit for Indian cricket in the next between 12 and 18 months would have been huge,” Chappell had said in Ahmedabad. “You can’t get that experience unless you let them (the youngsters) make mistakes. We must be prepared to take that risk, so that we give ourselves a chance of winning the World Cup 2007,” he added. Dravid said with the series clinched, the remaining matches were a chance to try out the youngsters. “It was a chance to look at the younger players we have. We had won the series already, and it is not often that we get such opportunities. Now that we have them, we have to make use of them. It will strengthen the squad in the long term,” Dravid said. The only issue that would irk the Indians would be the lack of runs from the blade of Yuvraj Singh. If not for his own sake, the Punjab left-hander would be keen to come good to silence comments over his inconsistency. On the other hand, Marvan Atapattu’s men would look to ride on the momentum following the Ahmedabad win. Their reputation as the world’s second best side after Australia took a knocking with four consecutive defeats which saw them slip to number four on the ICC ODI team table. But Sri Lanka’s successful chase of a daunting target of 286 in Motera proved their rise to the status of contenders to the throne was no fluke. Now that they have avoided further relegation in rankings with the Sunday win, Sri Lanka would try and go all out to grab the remaining two games. The pitch at Madhav Rao Scindia ground promised loads of runs. Teams (from): India: Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag (vice-captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Mohammad Kaif, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Murali Kartik, Harbhajan Singh, Ajit Agarkar, Irfan Pathan, Rudra Pratap Singh, J P Yadav, Gautam Gambhir and S Sreesanth. Sri Lanka: Marvan Atapattu (captain), Mahela Jayawardene (vice-captain), Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Russel Arnold, Farveez Maharoof, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan, Nuwan Zoysa, Dilhara Fernando, Dilhara Lokuhettige, Upul Tharanga and Thilan Samaraweera.
— PTI |
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Dravid rested, VRV Singh ruled out
Rajkot, November 8 The team would be led by Virender Sehwag in the tie which is of little consequence since India have already sealed the seven-match series in their favour. But for Dravid’s absence, the Indians would be in full strength with the return of Sachin Tendulkar, Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh, all of whom were rested for the previous match in Ahmedabad which India lost by five wickets. Coach Greg Chappell said he had faith in Sehwag’s abilities to lead the side in Dravid’s absence. “He handled it pretty well at a short notice (in Ahmedabad when Dravid sat out). He is very much looking forward to it,” Chappell said. Also back in the team would be Mohammad Kaif who was not included in the squad for the first five matches following an injury he suffered in the Challenger Series final last month. Kaif said he was confident of doing well tomorrow. “I did not score lot of runs in the Duleep game but I spent enough time at the crease. I hope to do well,” the Uttar Pradesh batsman said. The Indian team has finalised the 12 with Kerala pacer S Sreesanth being rested but it was an anti-climax for young Punjab fast bowler Vikram Rajvir Singh as he was found to be unfit by the team’s support staff on the eve of the match. VRV Singh, chosen for the last two matches based on his impressive show in the Challenger Series, was diagnosed by physio John Gloster as having an “inversion injury to left ankle”. V R V Singh has been replaced by J P Yadav. The youngster’s hopes of making his India debut went up in smoke after being advised “a couple of weeks’ rest”, according to media manager Wg. Cdr. M Baladitya. Vikram Singh had sustained a foot injury and missed the Duleep Trophy match for North Zone against Zimbabwe late last month. “At the time of selection, the selectors were not aware of the extent of VRV Singh’s injury. Basically, he has been advised rest,” Baladitya said. The selectors were expected to name a replacement for VRV Singh but it could not be confirmed if the player would be available tomorrow. The team management said Dravid, who remained in the dressing room during the Sri Lanka innings to receive treatment for cramps in Ahmedabad tie, skipping tomorrow’s match did not point to any major injury worry. “He is taking it a bit easy,” the media manager said. On Tendulkar, who had made a visit to a hospital in Ahmedabad prior to his departure to Rajkot, Baladitya said it was a “routine check.” “After his (elbow surgery), Tendulkar has been undergoing regular check-ups. After the match in Ahmedabad, he had some free time and the facility was also there. So he met the doctors, there is nothing more to it,” he said. Sri Lankan captain Marvan Atapattu said he hoped to retain the winning combination of the fifth match but added that nothing had been finalised as yet. Atapattu said the team looked to end the series on a positive note although winning three successive match against the in-form Indian team would be a “tough task”. “In the last game, we showed lot of character and belief in ourselves while chasing a target of 286. We want to end the tour on a high, and get the confidence going for the Tests. “It would be ideal to have a 3-4 scoreline (after losing the first four matches) but India are a tough opposition. We rate them high in these conditions,” he said.
— PTI |
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Sahara set to clinch sponsorship deal
New Delhi, November 8 The present contract between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Sahara expires on November 30 or at the end of the forthcoming one-day series against South Africa, but Sahara keen to extend the association. The previous deal was worth Rs 100 crore for three years and the new one could involve a substantial hike. Acquiring a new sponsorship deal seems to be a cakewalk for Sahara as the BCCI has acknowledged that the former reserves the first right of refusal. It means that if there is a new attractive offer from another company, Sahara will be given the first chance to match the amount. Even if a prominent mobile network, as is believed, makes an offer to sponsor the team, it will matter little since Sahara is prepared to go the extra distance to secure the contract.
— PTI |
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Pak hopes Karachi’s claim is not affected
Karachi, November 8 “Mr Natwar Singh and I are old friends, but I believe that his removal will not hamper Karachi’s stakes and the city will host a Test and a one-dayer against India,” PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan said from Lahore. The PCB was confident that the Indian External Affairs Ministry would give its go-ahead to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to play both games in Karachi. According to the proposed itinerary, Karachi was to host the third Test and the fifth one-day international. Asked if the PCB had sent a reminder to the BCCI requesting it to approve the tour itinerary, Shaharyar said, “We have not sent any reminder, but we have been verbally communicated by the BCCI that it has no objection on Karachi.” |
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Pakistan A beat England by 6 wickets
Lahore, November 8 Captain Hasan Raza, who struck an unbeaten 71, shared a fourth-wicket stand of 129 with Shahid Yousuf, who made 57, before Pakistan A reached 246 for four in 52.2 overs with more than a session to spare. All-rounder Andrew Flintoff’s return of three for 67 will have done little to lift the gloom in the England camp where serious doubts remain over the availability of Vaughan for the opening Test. Vaughan twisted his right knee while going for a third run on Monday and results of a scan have been sent to medical specialists in London. England doctor Peter Gregory has said Vaughan’s chances of being fit for the Multan test are slim and that, should the scan reveal torn cartilage, he would almost certainly need an operation. “We are still not sure about Vaughan,” said England coach Duncan Fletcher. “We have sent his reports by e-mail to medical experts in England and, hopefully, we should get a firm answer by tonight on his condition.” Pakistan A, resuming on their overnight score of 31 for one, suffered an early blow when opener Imran Farhat was forced to retire hurt on 24 after being struck on the fingers by fast bowler Flintoff. However, nightwatchman Shahid Nazir established a good platform for the home side with a brisk 43 from just 31 balls before being bowled by Flintoff, who also caught and bowled Faisal Athar for eight in an impressive seven-over spell. Raza, 23, and Yousuf then combined to put Pakistan A on the brink of victory at 232 for four when Yousuf was given out leg before wicket to Flintoff. Raza, the only Pakistan A player in the Pakistan squad for the first two Tests against England, was in superb form and struck three sixes, including a pull over mid-wicket off Flintoff.
— Reuters |
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Langer out of second Test
Sydney, November 8 Langer missed the first Test in Brisbane, a 379-run win by Australia, because of the rib injury sustained in a domestic first-class match a weekend before the Gabba Test. “It is disappointing to miss a Test, but I have to consider the best interests of the team. While I continue pushing hard to be right, I am not allowing myself to heal,” Langer said today. Australian allrounder Shane Watson would also miss the second Test due to a dislocated shoulder.
— AP |
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Women cricketers set for Lord’s debut
London, November 8 For England, it would be their first match at Lord’s in five years, BBC Sport reported. The MCC, which owned Lord’s, had voted to allow women members to play there in 1999. The match would take place on August 14 and the MCC said admission to the game, scheduled during the British school summer holidays, would be free. “The MCC is delighted to be hosting this one-day international at Lord’s,” said club president Robin Marlar. “It should be an excellent contest between England, who beat Australia in a Test series this year, and India, runners-up in the World Cup,” the former Sussex captain added. To help prepare for the match at Lord’s, India would play an MCC women’s team at Uppingham School, near Leicester, on August 3.
— PTI |
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Kozhikode, November 8 Assam entered the last eight of the championship by finishing on top of Cluster IV. After both teams had squandered several scoring opportunities, it was Sanjeeva who gave Assam the lead by neatly connecting a pass from Rahazuddin Ahmed in the 40th minute. Kasif Jamal levelled the score in the 54th minute when Railways was awarded a penalty for Thong Thang Kom’s foul on R P Ashok Kumar. However, Assam also successfully converted a penalty which was awarded due to Railway custodian Sangram Mukherjee's dangerous block on Thomson Langthasa in the 61st minute. Even as the match reached its dying moments, Kasif looked set to find the equaliser but unfortunately his shot hit the post. In the match at Thiruvananthapuram, Jammu and Kashmir and Meghalaya bowed out of the championship after they played out a 2-2 draw in their last league engagement in cluster-III. Orissa is leading with six points and Maharashtra is in second place with four in the cluster on the penultimate day of the Thiruvananthapuram segment ahead of the quarter final league slated to start in Kochi from November 11. Striker Bilal Ahmed Nani put J&K ahead in the 28th minute by capitalising on a mid-field pass. After equalising in the 65th minute through Freddy Kharpran, Meghalaya went ahead in the 77th minute when R Basaiadwmdit neatly netted a pass from the right flank. J&K, however, restored parity in the 89th minute through mid-fielder
Mehrajuddin.
Meghalaya defender Polin Lyngdoh was shown a red card for fouling Kamaljit Kumar.
— PTI |
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Indians archers have mixed luck
New Delhi, November 8 The women’s semifinals would be an all-India affair, with Jhanu Hansdah and Manjudha Roy qualifying to meet each other, while Korea called the shots in the individual recurve events. In an edge-of-the-seat quarterfinal recurve contest between Kyung Mo Park of Korea and Olympic silver medallist Hiroshi Yamamoto of Japan, the Korean won by two points. Park was a member of the Korean gold medal-winning team at Athens and displayed his shooting skills with amazing consistency. Hansdah kept the hosts’ gold hopes alive as she outshot Iranian Ahmadi Nafiseh 114-93 while Roy weathered a close fight by Kith Pui Shung of Hong Kong before emerging victorious 106-104. Another Indian, Bansaralin Dhar, beat Kheyrniahzadei of Iran 113-94 to meet compatriot Sakro Besra in the semifinals. Basra defeated another Iranian, Samaneh Adabost, 111-97. In the boys’ compound event, Naresh Damor and Vivek Kumar qualified for the semifinals. Naresh downed compatriot Shivnath Nagesia 111-106 while Vivek got the better of Jitte Kaenthonglang 111-105. Korea held a complete stranglehold in the recurve event for men and women. The women’s semifinals would be an all-Korea affair as Sung Jin Lee would meet Sung Hyun Park and Ok Hee Yun clashes would take on Mi Jin Yun. Yun defeated Olympian Reena Kumari 104-109. In the men’s section, Indian hopes vanished as Tarundeep Rai and Jayanata Talukdar lost their quarterfinal matches to Dong Hyun Im and Bo Ram Kim, respectively. Cheng-Wei Ku of Chinese Taipei and Kyung Mo Park of Korea also made it to the last four. |
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New stadia for swimming, athletics mooted
New Delhi, November 8 Event Knowledge Services (EKS), the technical arm of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), which has conducted a feasibility study on the infrastructure and other facilities in Delhi, has suggested the construction of a new indoor swimming pool complex. The Talkatora pool, built for the 1982 Asian Games, has been found wanting, primarily because the competition pool is open-roofed while the practice pool is indoor, which will have varying temperatures. The EKS has suggested that a new indoor swimming complex, with the latest facilities, be built at the Thyagaraj Sports Complex, which is just a stone’s throw away from the main Nehru Stadium. The EKS has also suggested the construction of a new athletics stadium at Kalindi Kunj on the Yamuna banks in South Delhi as the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, constructed for the 1982 Asian Games, will require extensive repair, which will be as costly as building a new stadium. Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Suresh Kalmadi, who is also the chairman of the 2010 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, said a final decision about the construction of the new stadiums and other games facilities would be taken only at the meeting of the Group of Ministers (GoM), headed by Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh, on November 21. The GoM went through the draft report and agreed on many points, but differed on some. |
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Golfers from Pak, India tee off today
Bangalore, November 8 “The format is interesting and we are looking forward to a keen competition,” said Dilip Thomas, captain of the Indian team. “Be it any sport, an Indo-Pak match always draws a lot of interest amongst the teams and the followers alike. We are hopeful of a handsome victory.” The teams from either nation will comprise the top-four golfers from the merit list, the top four in the ‘over-40’ and the top four in the ‘over-50’ categories. The Indian team includes three-time Sri Lankan Amateur Open winner Simarjeet Singh, former number one Manav Das, and upcoming stars Chiragh Kumar and Gaganjeet Bhullar apart from stars of yesteryears. Defending champion Pakistan have the legendary Taimur Hassan Amin leading their side. The top amateurs Vaqas Ahmed, Muhammed Ali, Muhammed Safdar Khan and Tariq Mehmood form the core team along with the seniors.
The Trophy was instituted in 1989 in memory of Ravi Kirloskar. — PTI |
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