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23 balls, 51 runs
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Retiring? Not me, says McGrath
Bopanna to face Qureshi in final
Haryana’s gift for kabaddi champs
India to play three Olympic hockey qualifiers
Punjab girls win by 81 runs
Case filed against Shastri for eating beef
Mahindras move into semis
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Practice match Stakes claim for opener’s slot as Jaffer fails again Ashish Shukla
Durban, December 22 Gambhir made an impressive 79 after opener Wasim Jaffer (2) fell cheaply and Virender Sehwag (40) departed after a decent start. But the game meandered along at a nonsensical pace as the visitors finished the day on 270 for 6. The Delhi left-hander retired after giving notice of his form and confidence. He, along with skipper Rahul Dravid (39), who also retired, put up a useful stand of 126 runs for the third wicket. Sourav Ganguly helped himself to an unbeaten 41 but he took 100 balls and over a session to do so, striking four fours and a six against part-time home bowlers. Harbhajan Singh was keeping him company on 10 at stumps. VVS Laxman (2) missed out on the fun as he edged S. McMillan behind the stumps and Dinesh Kaarthick (12), too, fell in the slip cordon. Veteran leg-spinner Anil Kumble had some batting practice as he scored 23 runs and helped the visitors’ tail wag a bit on the day. Both Jaffer and Sehwag fell to catches in the slips as India’s batting woes continued unabated in the series. However, Gambhir underlined his utility as he virtually toyed with the second-rate attack of the home team. The left-hander regularly bisected the field and made a mince-meat of leg-spinner Pillay whom he clouted for most of the 40 runs conceded in his 10 overs. Gambhir produced all shots from the book, driving, cutting and pulling local bowlers to desperation and earning more than a nod of approval from chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar. He batted for 101 balls and smashed eight fours and two sixes. Dravid, too, was in complete control during his knock of 39 runs, made from 77 balls and inclusive of five fours, before allowing others to have some match practice. Scoreboard India
(1st innings) Jaffer c Govind b Frylinck 2 Sehwag c Govind b Mhlongo 40 Gambhir retd hurt 79 Dravid retd hurt 39 Laxman c Smit b McMillan 2 Ganguly not out 41 Pathan c Y Singh b Serame 15 Kaarthick c Gobind b Frylinck 12 Kumble c&b Pillay 23 Harbhajan not out 10 Extras
(lb-1, w-2, nb-4) 7 Total (6 wkts, 77 overs) 270 Fall of wickets:
1-23, 2-47, 3-173, 4-188, 5-205, 6-250. Bowling: Govender 11-5-42-0, Frylinck 16-1-44-2, Mhlongo 9-3-18-1, Y Singh 12-1-49-0, Pillay 16-4-65-1, McMillan 6-3-34-1, Serame 7-0-47-1.
— PTI
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23 balls, 51 runs
Wellington, December 22 After a rollicking start by Stephen Fleming and Brendon McCullum produced 80 runs in seven overs, New Zealand's batting faltered and they added just 82 runs in the remaining 13 overs. Man-of-the-match Sanath Jayasuriya led Sri Lanka's reply with a near-solo masterpiece, hitting a rapid 51 in 23 balls, including 10 fours and one six, to score all but 11 of Sri Lanka's 62 runs. New Zealand's opening onslaught came to an end when Farveez Maharoof bowled Fleming for 38 with a slower ball. Spin twins Muttiah Muralitharan and Jayasuriya applied the pressure and the run rate slowed to a crawl. Muralitharan was hit for two sixes in his first three balls before McCullum mistimed a slog and was caught by Upul Tharanga at deep midwicket for 39. James Franklin, sent in as a pinch hitter, was trapped leg before wicket by Jayasuriya for 18, and Ross Taylor went lbw to Muralitharan for 21. James Marshall lasted four balls and made one run before being caught by a leaping Chamara Silva at midwicket for Jayasuriya's second wicket. New Zealand turned to the veteran Nathan Astle to arrest the middle order collapse but he was bowled by Jayasuriya for 19. Jayasuriya finished with figures of four for 21 from four overs, while Muralitharan took two for 27. The only wicket to fall in Sri Lanka's run chase was that of Tharanga, who was caught by Fleming off the bowling of Bond for six. — AFP
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Sydney, December 22 Speculation is also rife that the two may continue to live together in Hampshire in England as Warne completes his two-year contract with the county side. ''We're still friends now. We still live together even though we're divorced, so that's still a pretty interesting sort of set-up, but who knows what the future holds there?'' Warne said as he announced his retirement from international cricket in Melbourne yesterday. The champion leg-spinner thanked Simone for the support she gave him in his long career and said his best friend for many years always helped him get over tough situations. ''She's been there for the major part of the journey. She's been my rock. I (would) come home from a bad day and Simone was there to cheer you up and the kids were there. She's been wonderful and I want to say thank you to her, she's been amazing support for me, she's been my best friend for a long period of time,'' he said. The couple lives in a six-bedroom Brighton mansion as Simone, who has maintained that she would not get back with Warne, is still getting a house built for herself and the children. Warne and Simone also have a house in Hampshire but Simone left it soon after buying as a sex scandal involving her husband came to light before last year's Ashes. She left for Australia immediately after the news came and Warne reportedly cried for hours following her departure. Shane’s statue may adorn MCG
Despite his decision to quit the game, Shane Warne will continue to adorn the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) through either a bronze statue or a renamed stand. According to The Age newspaper, the MCG trust seconded a suggestion by Premier Steve Bracks to honour the spin legend in a special way. Trust chairman John Wylie said Warne would be honoured at MCG as ''probably Victoria's greatest ever cricketer'' and the form of recognition would be worked out with the Melbourne Cricket Club over coming months. ''It deserves more than five minutes consideration. These things stand for generations and we want to make sure we get it right,'' Mr Wylie said.
— UNI
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Retiring? Not me, says McGrath
McGrath said he was still undecided about his future and was only concentrating on the upcoming last two Tests of the Ashes. Earlier, the Daily Telegraph had reported that the veteran medium-pacer will carry his resignation to the Melbourne Test before hading it over to Cricket Australia to join Shane Warne in retirement.
However, McGrath categorically denied any such plans and rubbished the report. ''All I did was finish (the third Test) in Perth, come home and I've done nothing since and I've had journalists camped on the front door and hassling me at home and everything,'' McGrath told Sydney radio 2KY. ''For me, it's just another day at the office,'' he added as he tried to clear the air. The 36-year-old's retirement has been a subject of wild speculation with reports suggesting that after Damien Martyn and Warne, McGrath would be the third high-profile member of the World Champion team to bid adieu to the game. But McGrath denied having ever talked about immediate retirement and described the whole situation as funny.
''To be honest, I haven't said anything. It's funny where it all comes from,'' McGrath said.
''To me, I'm just preparing for another game. Nothing's changed since the end of the Perth Test match, apart from the fact that Shane Warne's retiring at the end of the Sydney Test,'' he added. ''So it's funny whether it's in his (Warne) wake and I'm being pulled along as well or whether the media think it's time for me to go, I don't know. All I'm saying is that, to me, it's business as usual,'' he explained. After the Ashes finish next month Australia will not be playing any Test cricket for the 11 months and McGrath said it would give him ample time to make up his mind about his future plans. ''I wouldn't mind a bit of an off-season. It'll be good. I guess we'll have to wait and see. I'm heading down to Melbourne today. I'm still enjoying it. I'm still loving playing and I've still got a lot of cricket in me,'' he insisted. McGrath admitted that it would seem a bit strange without Warne in the dressing room but asserted that he and the Australian team will get over the loss just as they did after Steve Waugh retired.
''It is like losing part of the family. I remember when Mark and Steve retired, it sort of does feel strange for a while,'' he said.
— UNI
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Jalandhar, December 22 In a league match played at the Burlton Park Surjit Hockey Stadium here today, Punjab and Sind Bank also earned full points by defeating Rail Coach Factory(RCF), Kapurthala 3-1. The Sher-e-Jalandhar team displayed good team work and coordination and created several spectacular moves which gifted them three field goals. While the first goal was scored by Sher-e-Jalandhar's Gagan Ajit Singh in the fifth minute, Tejbir Singh and Harbhajan Singh also struck in 25th and 30th minutes to score two more goals for the team. Ranjit Singh scored a goal for BSF in the 13th minute. In the second half, BSF earned a penalty corner in 40th minute which was converted by Raj Singh (2-3). In the dying moments of the match Baljit Dhillon converted a penalty corner for Sher-e-Jalandhar (4-2). Punjab Police had easy going against Corps of Signals. The police squad established the lead in the 8th minute with a flawless goal by Gagandeep Singh which was consolidated by Satvinder Singh in 48th minute through a penalty corner conversion. It was only in the 66th minute that Signals’ N. S. Salaria opened their account (1-2). Punjab and Sind Bank, which drew their match with Sher-e-Jalandhar yesterday, today recorded their maiden victory in the tournament defeating RCF 3-1. Daler Singh scored two goals while Mandeep Singh scored one goal. The lone goal for RCF was scored by Roop Singh. Punjab Police and Sher-e-Jalandhar are now all set to clash in the final on Sunday. — UNI
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Bopanna to face Qureshi in final
New Delhi, December 22 In the semifinals played here today, top-seeded Bopanna aced out his fighting Indian mate Divij Sharan 6-2, 6-4, while fourth-seeded Qureshi quelled the challenge of qualifier Hyun-Woo Nam of Korea 6-4, 6-2. But for Bopanna’s unplayable serves, Divij would have given a good fight as whenever the ball went for a rally, he covered the court well to give a stiff fight to the top seed. But the Indian Davis Cup player was so dominating in his service games that he fired 15 aces to average two aces per game. Seventh-seeded Divij, too, came up with some big serves to blast five aces, but was no patch on Bopanna. The Coorgi took just an hour and 14 minutes to wrap up the contest. In the second semifinal, Qureshi, who commands not only controlled big serve, but an immaculate backhand, however, began on the wrong foot when he was broken in the very first game by the fast-moving Korean. But the Pakistan youngster turned the game around with his big serves and solid baseline game to break back in the sixth game and clinched the first set by breaking the Korean again in the 10th game. With Nam becoming more erratic in the second unable to catch up with Qureshi’s foxing serves and deceptive returns, the sailing was rather smooth for the Pakistani champ, breaking the Korean in the second game to take a 2-0 lead. But Qureshi almost queered his turf, serving for the game in the third, when he committed a double fault to make it deuce, but saved a break point by firing an ace. After that, Qureshi was on a fine cruise mode, breaking Nam again in the eighth game to wrap up the contest in just over an hour.
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Haryana’s gift for kabaddi champs
Chandigarh, December 22 Under this initiative, Makroli Kalan in Rohtak district, Kirmara in Hisar, Chamarkhera in Fatehabad and Adampur and Dhadi in Bhiwani would be made model villages, Haryana Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dharambir Singh said today. For the all-round development of these villages, modern facilities would be provided in public health and education. All Additional Deputy Commissioners had been directed to carry out developmental works in these villages in a phased manner, he said. He said all streets as well as the houses would be marked in these villages for easy identification. Cemented streets, sanitation, power, water and drainage system would be provided in these villages. He said Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had already declared 18 villages as model villages and over Rs 25 crore had been released for carrying out developmental works in these villages. He said of these 18 villages, six villages belongs to Rohtak district included Kiloi, Sangi, Ismila, Bohar, Sudana and Nindana and Rs 8 crore had already been released for making these model villages. A sum of Rs 4 crore had been released for two villages, Talu and Jhoju, of Bhiwani district. For the development of villages of Dubbaldhan, Chara and Palra of Jhajjar district, Rs 3 crore had already been released. He said Rs 2 crore had been released for Baas village of Hisar district and Rs 1.5 crore each for Matlodha village of Panipat district, Dumarkhan Kalan and Dumarkhan Khurd of Jind district and Gasoli village of Sonepat district. He said for the development of Ghasera of Mewat district and Haldaheri village of Kurukshetra district, Rs 1.85 crore and Rs 15 lakh, respectively, had also been released.
— PTI
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India to play three Olympic hockey qualifiers
New Delhi, December 22 As per the schedule of the Olympic qualifiers released by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) today, the first of the three tournaments will be played in Auckland, New Zealand, from February 2-9. A month later, the second qualifying tournament will be played in Santiago, Chile, from March 1-9. The third qualifying meet will be held at Kakamigahara, Japan, from April 5-13. The winners of the three tournaments will join the nine countries, who would book automatic berths at the Olympics by virtue of being continental champions. At this stage, China, Korea and Pakistan have already qualified for the Olympics. In the women’s section, China and Japan have qualified for the 2008 games. For women, the first qualifier will be held at Baku, Azerbaijan, from April 12-20. The second tournament will be played at Kazan, Russia, from April 19-27, while the third will be held from April 26-May 4 in Vancouver, Canada.
— PTI
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Punjab girls win by 81 runs
Chandigarh, December 22 Punjab won the toss and elected to bat. Renu Bala scored 34, while Gurpreet and Harmanpreet Kaur scored 36 runs each. Punjab posted a total of 164 for 6 in 20 overs. Zara Lee took 2 wickets. Starting the chase IPSC lost early wickets and were all out for 83 runs for 6 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. Captain of the Punjab Team Harmanpreet Kaur was adjudged the player of the match. In another match, Andhra Pradesh girls defeated J&K by 9 wickets. Batting first, the J&K squad scored a paltry 59 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 20 overs. The highest scorer was Vani with 15 runs (not out). B. Anusha, A. Aruna, G. Neelima and T. Shilpa of Andhra Pradesh took one wicket each. AP achieved the target in 6.4 overs for the loss of one wicket. Vandhana of J&K team took 1 wicket. Monica scored an unbeaten 38 runs and adjudged the player of the match. Maharashtra outplayed Chandigarh by 6 wickets in the third match. Chandigarh scored 77 runs in 17.3 overs. Shivani contributed 21 runs for the team. Prachita and Apurva of Maharashtra chipped in with 3 wickets each. Maharashtra scored the required runs in 13 overs. Snehal was the highest scorer with 31 runs. Navroz of Chandigarh took 2 wickets. Snehal was adjudged the best player of the match.
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Case filed against Shastri for eating beef
Indore, December 22 The case was filed by Bajrang Dal, Indore incharge, Manoj Malpani in the court of Judicial Magistrate, First Class (JMFC), R K Batham. The complainant alleged that Shastri has hurt the feelings of Hindus by reportedly eating beef in full knowledge and by commenting, “though I know that I am a Brahmin, I can’t stop myself from eating the dish (billtang).” According to advocate Rajendra Sharma, the comment of Shastri in this regard was aired by a channel telecasting the match from South Africa and was also published in a local daily. The case was filed under Section 295 (a) (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious belief) and 298 (a) of the IPC, he said, adding that the court has fixed January 5 for recording evidence in the case.
— PTI
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Mahindras move into semis
Kolkata, December 22 The first half began with a positive Mohammedan Sporting passing well and not letting the Mumbai team settle down. The IFA Shield winners got going in the second half. It was a different Mahindra United side as they hardly lost possession of the ball. Mahindras drew first blood in the 90th minute when Manjit’s long ranger finally hit the target. But Habibur Rahman managed to restore parity. But that was not the end, Mahindras, characteristically, came back and in the very next attack, Yusif Yakubu headed in a Manjit cross.
— UNI
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Stakes claim for opener’s slot as Jaffer fails again
Sydney, December 22
