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Poor fielding cost us the ODI series
Shoaib faces lengthy injury lay-off
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India desperate for face-saving win
Indians shown the door
Fransa Pax get fresh lease of life
Arya Girls College holds inter-college meet
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Curtains for Ganguly
Baroda, February 23 The 33-year-old Ganguly, under pressure since he was sacked as captain last year, failed to get a 50 in two innings in the test series in Pakistan, which India lost 1-0. Chief selector Kiran More said the squad, packed with young players, could mark the end of the road for Ganguly, India’s most successful test captain who has struggled with fitness and batting form in the last two years. “We’re looking at the future. We are not going to look back from now onwards,” he said. The selectors also dropped Gautam Gambhir and pacemen Ajit Agarkar and Zaheer Khan, drafting in uncapped seamers Vikram Rajvir Singh and S. Sreesanth, who has played in one-dayers. Teenaged leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, seen as a successor to Anil Kumble, and one-day batsman Suresh Raina were also picked. More praised the youngsters for the energy displayed in their 4-1 one-day series triumph after the test defeat in Pakistan. “The way we played those one-dayers was outstanding cricket,” he said. “Fresh legs in the team also made a lot of difference. It is a very important move for us, looking at the future.” Chawla won rich praise after helping Uttar Pradesh clinch their maiden Ranji Trophy and shining with the under-19 squad which lost the World Cup final to Pakistan in Colombo. Vikram Singh is rated as the fastest Indian bowler. Zaheer Khan, looking unfit, struggled in Pakistan while rookie fellow left-arm Rudra Pratap Singh shone both in tests and one-dayers. The first of three tests starts in Nagpur on Wednesday. England are scheduled to play three tests and seven one-dayers. Squad: Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag, Wasim Jaffer, Sachin Tendulkar, Vangipurappu Laxman, Mohammad Kaif, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Irfan Pathan, S. Sreesanth, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Rudra Pratap Singh, Vikram Rajvir Singh, Piyush Chawla.
— Reuters |
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Munaf Patel wrecks England
Vadodara, February 23 Patel grabbed five for 59 as England, reeling under a spate of fitness worries, were bundled out for 238. Wasim Jaffer and Gautam Gambhir then took the England attack by the scruff of the neck and saw the hosts reach a healthy 93 for one. Jaffer fell to spinner Ian Blackwell to the last ball of the day. Jaffer, included in the Indian team for the first Test at the expense of Gambhir, made 48 from 74 balls with seven fours while his opening partner was unbeaten on 33 from 70 balls with eight fours. Earlier, Geraint Jones’ unbeaten 35 in the circumstances proved crucial for England who were 208 for five at tea with Liam Plunkett 22 not out at the other end. England, electing to bat after stand-in captain Marcus Trescothick won the toss, lost the first four wickets for 72 before Pietersen and Jones pulled them out to safety. The duo added 51 runs off 71 balls before Pietersen (47) retired. The 25-year old South African-born cricketer clutched his back immediately after resumption in the post-lunch session. He needed medical attention and batted with a runner. That however did not stop Pietersen from hammering a six and four fours off a VRV Singh over. Ian Blackwell then joined Jones and the duo added another 59 runs for the fifth wicket before the former edged Ramesh Powar to first slip. England had major fitness problems to grapple with before the first Test. Michael Vaughan was ruled out of the match with a sore knee while paceman Simon Jones and spinner Shaun Udal did not play because of a stomach virus. Kevin Pietersen joined the injured list of the visitors when he had to retire hurt with a sore back. Pietersen braved the injury to make 47 which included seven fours and a six — his one six and four fours in one over of Vikram Rajvir Singh being the highlight. “We will keep monitoring him,” England team media manager Andrew Walpole said on Pietersen.
— PTI |
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Poor fielding cost us the ODI series
I
have no hesitation in admitting that India were worthy winners of the one-day series. They were outstanding in every department of the game and we just could not match them. Every time we tried to compete against them, they came with something different and we found them too far to catch.
To me, it has been one of the most amazing series comebacks by the Indians after we had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in the Karachi Test and then made the 328-run target in Peshawar look small. The credit for turning the series on its head must go to Rahul Dravid. I believe the major difference between the two teams was fielding. We were poor at times and atrocious most of the times. So much so that when our pride was at stake in Karachi, we showed too much generosity by conceding plenty of boundaries through misfieldings or over-throws, failed to convert half-chances and could not even throw down the stumps from point-blank range. On the contrary, Indians were sharp and athletic in the field throughout the series. They had already raised their fielding standards through the agile and acrobatic Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif with Irfan Pathan, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid there for support. But the way the young trio of Suresh Raina, Rudra Pratap Singh and Sreesanth responded was incredible and helped make the Indian team look a tremendously good fielding side. In the subcontinent where you get wickets tailor-made for batsmen and quick outfields, you need be to an excellent fielding side to back your bowlers to stand any chance of winning important matches. Sadly, we were no match to India in that decisive department. Although our batting and bowling is being bitterly criticised, I believe despite regular top order failures, we managed to post decent scores in four of the five games and also succeeded in picking up a couple of early wickets in almost every game. But the fielding let us down and in the end helped the critics portray a horrifying picture of the Pakistan cricket team. To me, the turning point of the one-day series was the first hour of the Rawalpindi one-dayer where we lost four quick wickets. Then Indian fielders compounded our problems by getting four run-outs that prevented us from reaching 300. Nevertheless, 265 was not a small score considering the fact that in the previous two games played there, the team batting first had successfully defended modest scores of under 210. No matter what the team’s detractors may say and feel, I still believe there are no clouds of concern. After all, it is the same team that had been winning almost everything in the last 12 months. The bottomline is that we have to accept that we played poorly and need to learn from our mistakes quick and fast. The positives I take from this defeat are that we know where we lack and how we need to improve. This series has been a huge learning curve for all of us and I am confident that we will improve ourselves with sheer hard work, dedication and commitment. I hate to give excuses but just want the critics to remember that we played six Tests and 10 one-dayers in less than four months which, I think, was extremely taxing and strenuous for the players. The so-called experts of the game have been critical of my captaincy, want me to bat up the order and accuse me of shuffling the batting order too much. I think this is the best time to put the record straight. Firstly, I don’t have any defensive mindset. It’s just that I don’t show my aggression on the field. I am not one of those captains who throw their hands here and there, shout at players or put hands on the hips in anger. My aggression is always in my mind, not in actions and my team knows that. Secondly, it is very easy for those sitting in the airconditioned studios to point fingers on match strategies and contingency plans when the team loses. But I believe there is little a captain can do when his bowlers are bowling on either side of the wickets and fielders showing greasy palms. As regards my batting position, the critics unfortunately don’t do their homework when they come on the screens. So, let me show them the factual position. In 356 one-dayers, I have batted 69 times at No 3 (average 39), 145 times at No 4 (average 40) and 91 times at No 5 (average 42). They further accuse me of shuffling the batting order. Yes, batting orders are revised but according to requirements and match situations. I mean, Rahul Dravid batted only twice at his accustomed No. 3 position while Yuvraj Singh was sometimes coming at No. 4 and sometimes at No. 5. So should we also accuse Dravid of unsettling the batting order? The critics and the followers of the game need to understand that no captain wants to see his team lose. Every captain tries his best within his means and resources. What also needs to be understood is that the other team also takes the field with ambition to win and not to award you matches on a silver platter. We should be graceful in defeat and accept wholeheartedly that in this particular series, India were head and shoulders above us.
— PTI |
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Shoaib faces lengthy injury lay-off
Karachi, February 23 “MRI scans and X-rays have shown that he has a degenerative disease in his left knee and his other knee could also be affected. Surgery is definitely an option,” Pakistan’s Director of Cricket Operations Saleem Altaf told Reuters today. “Shoaib will go to Melbourne on Friday where he will be examined by Doctor David Young, who will then suggest what sort of surgery he requires.” The fast bowler, who has taken 165 wickets in 42 tests and 199 in 129 one-day internationals, missed the one-day series against India due to the ankle injury. “Shoaib bowled in pain in the Tests on generally flat pitches and he has taken a lot of pounding on his ankle and knee, which has led to the problem,” Altaf said. “Right now we don’t know how long he is going to take to make a complete recovery from his ankle and knee problems and start bowling again,” he added.
— Reuters |
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India desperate for face-saving win
Faisalabad, February 23 Having already conceded the six-match series by losing all the three matches at home and drawing the fourth in Lahore, the Indians would play for honour and ensure they end the contest on a positive note ahead of the Commonwealth Games next month. In the four matches so far, the forwards have let India down because of their failure to convert moves within the striking circle, evident from the fact that India have scored four goals in all while conceding eight. And of these four, three have come from the strikers. A more disturbing fact is that India have not been able to earn a single penalty corner in the last two matches. The defence, in the absence of Dilip Tirkey, has at best been patchy. While Harpal Singh and Kanwalpreet Singh have done some good work to check the Pakistani invasion, Sandeep has not been impressive in deep defence. However, promising defender William Xalxo — taken in as a replacement for Dilip Tirkey — has not got enough chances to strengthen the Indian citadel. The Pakistanis, on the other hand, would like to make amends for their forward line’s mistakes which allowed India to hold the hosts to a 1-1 draw in Lahore. With an able playmaker in their skipper and centre half Mohammed Saqlain and famed forwards in Rehan Butt, Shakeel Abassi and Tariq Aziz, it should not be a problem for the home team to come back to their winning form.
— PTI |
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Hingis, Sharapova to clash in quarters
Dubai, February 23 Sharapova, seeded third, routed fellow Russian Vera Dushevina 6-1, 6-0. Hingis beat Sharapova in straight sets in Tokyo this month. “Martina played some amazing tennis in Tokyo, but it is a different match tomorrow.” Top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo beat qualifier Henrieta Nagyova of Slovakia 6-3, 6-1, and second-seeded Lindsay Davenport blanked Elena Likhovtseva of Russia 6-0, 6-0. Fourth-seeded Justine Henin-Hardenne, playing her first match since retiring from the Australian Open final because of stomach pain, laboured to beat Ukrainian qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko 6-4, 7-5. The four-time Grand Slam champion was down 3-0 in the second set after several unforced errors. Hingis, who ended a three-year retirement last month and has risen to a No. 50 ranking in just four tournaments, beat Myskina yesterday with deft touches and showed she could win important points. “It is not a comeback anymore,” Hingis said. “I am here now and this is my fifth tournament. I have shown that I can still play. I don’t look at it as a comeback anymore. It is more like the second part of my career now.”
— AP |
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Indians shown the door
New Delhi, February 23 The ouster of the four Indians was disappointing as three of them lost to their opponents meekly while fourth seed Vishal Uppal retired hurt while trailing the match 0-1 against Hyun-Woc Nam of Korea. Among the other three, J. Vishnu Vardhan exhibited some resistance against Sarvar Ikramov of Uzbekistan, who upset top seed Alexey Kedriouk of Kazakhstan yesterday, but in vain. Vardhan fought hard in the first set before surrendering the second rather easily to lose 4-6, 2-6. The other two matches were also disheartening affairs for the home fans as Navdeep Singh went down to sixth seed Julien Maes of France 6-1, 6-1, while seventh seed Vinod Sridhar was tamed by second seed Herbert Wiltsching of Austria 6-0, 6-1. In the semis clash, Ikramov will play Nam while Maes will take on Wiltsching. In the doubles semifinals today, top seed pair Murad Inoyatov of Uzbekistan and Alexey Kedriouk of Kazakhstan defeated Indian duo of Tushar Liberhan and Navdeep Singh 6-4, 6-1 whereas Korean Nam and Hyung-Tae Kwon overcame home challenge Vivek Shokeen and Sanam Singh 6-4, 6-7, 7-5.
— PTI |
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Fransa Pax get fresh lease of life
New Delhi, February 23 The AIFF president said here today that Fransa Pax will resume the league by playing their next match against Air India, followed by matches against Sporting Club de Goa and Salgaocar. Mr Dasmunsi said he took a lenient view of Fransa Pax’s behaviour after considering various correspondence with the club, but only after declaring club president Micky Pacheco a “persona non grata” as his actions and statements had brought “disrepute to the game of football, the National Football League and the AIFF”. The AIFF president said Pacheco will not be allowed to “correspond or act on behalf of the club with the AIFF and the National Football League Committee; not to be listed as one of the officials registered with the NFL or the AIFF; he shall not be permitted by match commissioner and/or LOC (local organising committee) to attend managers’ meetings of the NFL and shall not be permitted to receive any trophy or award on behalf of the club in AIFF-organised or AIFF registered tournaments in any part of India, till further notice”. |
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Arya Girls College holds inter-college meet Ambala, February 23 In rangoli, Sunita and Neeraj of Arya Girls College, Ambala Cantt were the first, Avantika and Hari Ram of GMN College, Ambala Cantt secured the second place while Ina of Government College, Ambala Cantt was third. Praveen and Surbhi of KV No. 2, Ambala Cantt, as well as Anjali and Puja of Arya Girls College, Ambala Cantt, got consolation prizes. In fresh flower arrangement section, Jasinder was first, Neetu was second and Paramjeet was third. Monika got the consolation prize. All of them were from Arya Girls College, Ambala Cantt. In dry flower arrangement section, Rajni was first, Aman was second, while Mandeep was third. Kajal got the consolation prize. In potted plants (flowering) category, Neelam was first, Rajni was second and Kajal was third. In cacti and succulent category, Kajal was first, Sunita was second while Priyanka was third.
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