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Team India to explore novel ways of training
Dalmiya files suit challenging BCCI’s summon
Decision on BCA next month: BCCI
Battle on cards between Murali, Ntini
CM announces Rs 21 lakh award for Abhinav Bindra |
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India beat SA in junior squash
Avneet Sidhu: Another Olympic hope from Punjab
Kolkata girl swims English Channel
Book chronicling Tatas’ contribution to sports launched
Farthate shoots gold
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Team India to explore novel ways of training
Bangalore, July 25 “Tomorrow morning, the team will leave for a place outside Bangalore for teaming up and doing a lot of physical training. It will not be open to the media,” trainer Gregory King told reporters today. King said the team management favoured adopting new techniques of training keeping in view its usefulness. “It is a team management decision to try out new techniques. In the past too, we tried out a few new things which produced positive results,” he said. “I want to keep the players unprepared at what we are going to do in next three days. It will not be very different from the camps we had in last three years. We would like to try out something different,” he said. The players will be back to the NCA premises in Bangalore on July 28 evening. The next morning, they will be put through medical and skill assessments apart from body composition assessment. King said since the three-day training session would be very demanding in nature, there would be a recovery session, yoga, swimming and teki for the cricketers in the evening on July 29. “Teki is also a good method of training. It is all about balance and focus. The players won’t have normally encountered these activities before,” he said. Commenting on the fitness of bowlers L Balaji and Murali Kartik, King said he will see Balaji at Bangalore while Kartik is in the early stage of his rehabilitation and will take some time to recover. About Kumble, the trainer said the ace spinner’s fitness is not an issue as he is currently playing county cricket in England. Explaining the reason behind choosing Bangalore ahead of Chennai for the training camp, King said the Tamil Nadu capital was not selected as venue due to threat of rains. “Last time, we wasted some days due to interruption by rains. Besides, this time we have a lot of time to acclimatise in Colombo before the tournament,” he said. Dravid welcomes Tendulkar’s return Hyderabad: Indian captain Rahul Dravid has welcomed the return of Sachin Tendulkar to the squad for the upcoming cricket tri-series in Sri Lanka after a four-month injury layoff. “I’m very happy,” Dravid said when asked about his reaction to Tendulkar’s return for the tri-series, which also involves South Africa. Tendulkar, who missed the one-day series against England and the entire West Indies tour following a shoulder surgery in March, was included in the Indian squad last week after being declared fit. Dravid, who was here on a promotional visit, did not entertain questions on cricket, saying “this is not the right forum.” However, the captain said he was looking forward to the Sri Lankan tri-series. “We hope to do well in the island,” he said and refused to take any further questions on cricket. When asked how comfortable he felt while endorsing various products, Dravid who is the brand ambassador of quite a few companies said, “it is good. You get to know people and build relations.”
— PTI
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Dalmiya files suit challenging BCCI’s summon
Kolkata, July 25 “A suit has been filed in the city civil court, challenging both the legality and validity of July 17 letter of the BCCI that summoned him to appear before its disciplinary committee (in New Delhi) on July 26,” sources close to Mr Dalmiya told UNI today. “His lawyer had earlier sent a letter to the BCCI requesting to defer the date of hearing but no response has been received,” they said. The BCCI, in a letter on July 17, had asked Mr Dalmiya to appear before the committee in relation to alleged misappropriation of PILCOM account funds and transactions in an Indian Overseas Bank in Kolkata. Mr Dalmiya has been accused by the present BCCI regime of misappropriation and they even filed a criminal case, crediting Rs 40 crore to CAB’s account and stopping subsidy to the Cricket Association of Bengal, which has Mr Dalmiya as its head, on ground of unexplained financial matters.
— UNI
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Decision on BCA next month: BCCI
New Delhi: The BCCI will take a decision on the contentious issue of affiliation to Bihar Cricket Association during a meeting in Chennai next month. BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah told PTI over phone from Rajkot that the decision would be taken on August 16.
The battle over the affiliation of BCA has been dragging on for past three years after the formation of Jharkhand Cricket Association. Two factions — one led by former Test cricketer Kirti Azad and the other by Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad — have been pursuing the BCCI for affiliation.
— PTI
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Battle on cards between Murali, Ntini
Dubai, July 25 Muralitharan currently tops the bowling list and the two-match clash gives him the chance to extend his advantage and also reduce the gap of 50 wickets between himself and leading Test wicket-taker Shane Warne. But pace bowler Ntini, rested and raring to go after a break following an outstanding 2005/06 season, is breathing down Muralitharan’s neck at the top of the rankings. And if the South African can repeat the form that brought him 48 wickets in just eight Tests in 2005/06 then he has every chance of not only closing in on top spot but also helping his depleted side to a famous series win. That, of course, will be easier said than done as South Africa is without its regular captain Graeme Smith and vice-captain Jacques Kallis, both injured, as well as all-rounder Shaun Pollock, who is missing the first Test after the birth of his second child. How much of a hole that trio leaves is clearly illustrated by the LG ICC Player Rankings as Kallis (4th) and Smith (18th) are South Africa’s only batsmen inside the top 20, while Pollock lies 12th in the bowling list and third in the all-rounder table, a table topped by Kallis. In their absence, Herschelle Gibbs is the side's highest ranked batsman, in joint 25th place alongside injured England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff. Below Gibbs come A.B. de Villiers (33rd), acting captain Ashwell Prince (37th) and Jacques Rudolph (60th) and all three will have to perform exceptionally well to fill the vacuum left by Smith and Kallis. The batting list is currently headed by Australia’s Ricky Ponting, clear of India’s Rahul Dravid and Inzamam-ul-Haq of Pakistan. Ntini is joined in the bowling top 20 by team-mate Andre Nel (14th) while, below that duo comes spinner Nicky Boje (41st). It comes into the matches off the back of a successful tour of England and the Netherlands where, despite the absence of captain Marvan Atapattu with a back injury, it drew the Test series 1-1 and won all the seven ODIs it played. With Atapattu still sidelined, Sri Lanka will once again be led by Mahela Jayawardene, one of two players in the line-up in the top 20 of the LG ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen. Jayawardene lies 19th in that list while Sri Lanka’s highest ranked batsman is Kumar Sangakkara in 11th spot. Below that duo come Tillakaratne Dilshan (23rd), the rejuvenated Sanath Jayasuriya (38th) and Atapattu (39th). Muralitharan is joined in the bowling top 10 by evergreen seam and swing bowler Chaminda Vaas, joint 10th in the list alongside the West Indies' Corey Collymore.
— PTI |
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CM announces Rs 21 lakh award for Abhinav Bindra
Patiala, July 25 In a Punjab Government press release, it was stated that the award would be given to Abhinav at a function scheduled to be held in Chandigarh on August 6. The release added that Capt Amarinder Singh rang up both Bindra and Harneet Sarao who won a silver medal in the junior world meet held at the same venue. Meanwhile, accolades flowed in from various quarters for the Chandigarh-based Bindra. Prominent among those who have congratulated the shooter were the Chief Parliamentary Secretary (sports) Rana Gurmeet Sodhi, Director (sports) Pargat Singh, Secretary General of the Punjab Olympic Association K.S Sidhu, Mr Rajdeep Singh Gill and Mr T.S Dhaliwal, President and Secretary of the Punjab Basketball Association, respectively, Deputy Director (sports), Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) Ramandeep Singh and Director (sports), Punjabi University Raj Kumar Sharma. Mr Raninder Singh and Mr Gurbir Singh, Chairman and Secretary of the Punjab Rifle Association, respectively, have also congratulated Abhinav Bindra. Lok Sabha
lauds Bindra
New Delhi: The Lok Sabha today congratulated ace shooter Abhinav Bindra for clinching the world championship gold, the first ever for the country in shooting, in the air rifle event in Zagreb, Croatia yesterday. Speaker Somnath Chatterjee extended felicitation to Bindra on behalf of the entire House and expressed confidence that the world champion would get gold medals in future also.
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India beat SA in junior squash
Chennai, July 25 According to national coach Cyrus Ponca, it was a nail-biting contest in which the Indians asserted their supremacy. India’s top junior Sandeep Jangra took 35 minutes to outclass Richard Corburn in straight games to give the team a flying start. Down 0-4, Sandeep came back strongly to win by hitting volley winners in the front of the court. In the next, Naresh Kumar messed up a good start and went down to Rudi Willemse in four games in one hour, before Harinderpal Singh played the match of his life to get past Jason Cole Niven in 70 minutes. Playing the longest match of the tournament, Harinder was forced to keep the ball deep as he made a few unforced errors with his drop. Trailing 0-5, He came up with a gutsy effort in the fourth game with two brillaint backhand drops to equalise at 5-5, before winning the contest. India would meet Pakistan in its last league match. Results: Sandeep Jangra b Richard Colburn 9-7, 9-5, 9-2; Naresh Kumar lost to Rudi Willemse 9-5, 1-9, 5-9, 4-9; Harinderpal Singh b Jason Cole Niven 9-3, 7-9, 9-5, 9-7.
— UNI
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Avneet Sidhu: Another Olympic hope from Punjab
Bathinda, July 25 Avneet secured a quota berth for Beijing Olympics 2008 with her outstanding performance in the 10m air rifle finals of World Championship in Croatia last night. Talking to The Tribune on phone from Zagreb in Croatia, Avneet said: “I’m on cloud nine after making it to the Olympics and the euphoria is yet to sink in.” She said as the top five in the finals had already got entry into the Olympics it the next five had a chance to grab the remaining places. She stood eighth in the final ranking and her wish to represent her country in the biggest sports event turned into reality. “At one point of time I was in the running for the third place, but one bad shot made me slip five places,” she averred. Avneet, who scored 397 in the finals, said she was a bit nervous in the beginning, as she was competing with a very experienced lot. “My coach came up to me and boosted my morale, after which I shot 100 in three successive rounds to get through to the Olympics.” Avneet hasn’t lost focus of her aim in the midst of celebration of making it to Beijing 2008 Olympics. She said: “My target is not only to participate but also to clinch an Olympic medal for my country.” Before Olympics four World Cups, Asian Games and an Asian Championship would give her enough opportunities to prepare herself for the mega event. “I’m very much looking forward to gain more experience and exposure at these international championships,” she concluded. Meanwhile, there was jubilation at Avneet’s home. Her father Amritpal Singh Sidhu said: “It is indeed a proud moment for all of us here and is like a dream come true.”
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Kolkata girl swims English Channel
New Delhi, July 25 Rashmi had started in the morning on July 6 and swam 21 miles clocking 11 hours and 50 minutes. “I was virtually gasping for breath in the last mile. It took me nine hours to swim 20 miles but there I was struggling. The monstrous waves made things difficult for me and on one occasion, I almost ended up being run over by the accompanying boat. “Despite that, I was in no mood to give up. It was so close to my goal and there was no way I could backtrack and the next three hours seemed like ages before I finally did it,” she recalled. She was also elated after her idol called her up to congratulate. “It was a very emotional moment as Buladi called me up and said well done,” she said. — UNI
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Book chronicling Tatas’ contribution to sports launched
Mumbai, July 25 The book is a pictorial anthology of the group’s contribution to the growth of sports in India. It captures the unique spirit common to the sporting endeavour and to the human talent. Speaking after the book launch ceremony, Little Master said though the Tata Group rejected him in the 70s for a job, he has no hard feelings and salutes them for their zeal and single-mindedness in producing champions. He, however, added recently the players were not getting that many jobs in companies and hoped the group would look into this. “I hope your tribe flourishes,” Gavaskar added. Kartikeyan, speaking on the occasion, thanked the Tata Group for all the support they had given him during the last eight years. “It was because of your support and encouragement that I could fulfil my dream of racing in the Formula 1,” he added. Besides Gavaskar and Karthikeyan, other Indian sportspersons present included Dilip Sardesai, Ashok Mankad, Ajit Agarkar, Ramesh Powar, Eddie Sequeira and T.M. Vargehese.
— UNI
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Dunga to coach Brazil
Rio De Janeiro, July 25 The 42-year-old has been entrusted with leading Brazil to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and possibly beyond, said CBF President Ricardo Teixeira. “The appointment of Dunga satisfies the desire of Brazilian fans who want to see a vibrant coach,” said Teixeira. Dunga’s first match in charge will be a friendly against Norway in Oslo on August 16.
— AFP
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Farthate shoots gold
Zagreb (Croatia), July 25 Jaspal Rana had won the gold as a junior in standard pistol in 1994. Indian had won the first ever team medal in a junior competition on the opening day of the championship when they claimed the bronze in air pistol event.
— PTI
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Sonika wins gold
Asian netball meet Glenn McGrath Top End series
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