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Yuvraj targets Jan-end return
Time to deliver, Joginder
Pakistan fight back
Mumbai enter Ranji semis
Sanyal wages lone battle
Punjab flounder
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Lahore boys for Kapoor hockey
Jarkhar, Amloh lads enter semis
Chandigarh golfers to play in Pak
Kila Raipur Games from February 1
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Mumbai, January 13 Yuvraj said it was important that he played some matches before the World Cup in March-April and if he could not make it to the series against the West Indies, he would definitely like to compete against the Sri Lankans whom India play next “I would like to play the last two ODIs against the West Indies (January 27 at Chennai and January 31 at Vadodara) or the matches against Sri Lanka, It’s important for me to play a few games before the World Cup,” Yuvraj said. “But I can’t give a timeframe,” the Punjab batsman, who has been named in the provisional 30-member World Cup squad, told reporters here today. Yuvraj said he would be training with the Indian team at Nagpur on January 17 and 18 before proceeding to Kolkata to play three Twenty20 games for his employers Indian Airlines. “I played a game (50-over match with Mumbai under-19 probables) yesterday after two and a half months. I wanted to field first for five overs and then bat, and did so for 25 to 30 overs. I felt really good,” he said. Yuvraj also underwent a test by the Primus RS (Rehabilitation System) machine at Saifee Hospital here today in the presence of cricket board’s physician Dr Anant Joshi, former Indian team’s physio Andrew Leipus and Joshi’s physiotherapist son Dr Mithun, who has been treating the player of late. Anant Joshi described the outcome of the machine test as “very satisfactory”. “It gave us an objective report of the rehab process, while the physical test done at the CCI two days ago was a subjective analysis,” he said. Joshi said it was important that Yuvraj’s return began at the lower level and not a first-class game straightaway. “That’s the way to go during a rehab process. He’s to play some lower-level games and not be subjected straightaway to first-class games,” he said. Joshi also said it was now left to Indian team physio John Gloster to monitor the player’s progress, but the final call, whether he was ready to play at the top level, would be entirely Yuvraj’s. “Gloster will monitor his progress now. But finally it’s up to the player to decide when he’s mentally and physically fit to play (top-level cricket),” Joshi said. The board’s physician also said Ypres was lucky that he did not have to undergo surgery for the injury which would have put him out of the game for up to nine months. “When we examined the injury after 10 days we felt it could be set right without surgery. He’s lucky as otherwise it would have taken between six to nine months for him to make a comeback,” Joshia said. “The player was also very determined and showed a lot of grit, and the rehab staff also did phenomenal work,” he said. — PTI
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Time to deliver, Joginder
Chandigarh, January 13 When he first broke into the ODI squad and made his debut against Bangladesh along with Mahendra Singh Dhoni three years ago, he looked like someone who, given some more time, could have found his bearings at the highest level in the shorter version of the game. Though he failed to achieve something spectacular, he did not do much wrong either. Unfortunately, before he could get a feel of the “rarefied” atmosphere, he got the axe and was consigned to oblivion. This year, he has bagged wickets by the bucketful and has been consistent with the bat which is a testimony to the hard work done by the 24-year-old Rohtak youngster to improve himself in different departments of the game. “Bowling at an impressive pace, Joginder has the ability to swing the ball both ways. He is particularly a good bowler to left-handed batsmen,” said Ashwani Kumar, Haryana Ranji Trophy coach. With the West Indies having so many left-handers in their ranks, he can come handy. “Besides, Joginder has the ability to slide and dive near the boundary line and save precious runs. This is the quality not seen in many Indian players. He is also a good slip fielder,” Ashwani remarked. The former Ranji Trophy player, who has been in charge of the Haryana team for close to six years, stated that after so much experience of playing at the domestic level, Joginder had developed the ability to handle pressure and perform to the optimum. On his part, Joginder looks like someone who deserves the rope long enough to realise his potential at the highest level. He is the type of batsman who can be steady as well as flamboyant. A couple of centuries he scored for North Zone in the Duleep Trophy this season showed his ability with the bat. As a bowler, Joginder is not someone with the ability to hit the deck hard and hurry the batsmen through their shots. Bowling at an adequate pace, Joginder relies more on line and length to flummox batsmen. Joginder has got the break when, form-wise, he is going through a purple patch. Besides, playing against a formidable opponent in familiar home environs should be the advantage any player of his ilk would aspire to. Dilip Vengsarkar, Chairman of the Selection Committee, expressed his confidence in Joginder’s abilities as an all-rounder while selecting the Indian team yesterday. Joginder should not ask for more. It is time to deliver.
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Centurion, January 13 Pakistan were 103 for two in their second innings, one run behind, after South Africa lost their last six wickets for 61 runs. Scoreboard Pakistan (1st innings) 313 De Villiers c Younis b Asif 4 Extras (lb-13, nb-25) 38 Pakistan (2nd innings) Hafeez c Smith b Kallis 15 Extras (lb-3, nb-3) 6
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Mumbai enter Ranji semis
Nashik, January 13 Mumbai needed just eight overs on the fourth and final morning to take the remaining four wickets of Maharashtra and sail into the semifinal as the second team from Group B with 15 points behind Bengal. Maharashtra, starting the day at 148 for six, needed a miracle to save themselves and that was not coming with lanky left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni getting Satyajit Satbhai off the first ball of the day’s play. Kulkarni invited the batsman to drive at a flighted ball and beat him in the air and pouched a return catch with the Maharashtra score at 148 for seven.
— UNI
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Sanyal wages lone battle
Dharamsala, January 13 Earlier, Himachal resumed their first innings at 346 for seven and could add only 16 runs before their innings folded. In their second innings as well, Railways put up a lacklustre show, barring the exception of in-form Sanyal and TP Singh. Himachal pacer Vikramjeet Singh Malik removed openers Sanjay Bangar (5) and Amit Pagnis (18) in quick successions to push Railways to the back foot and it was a 64-run fourth-wicket partnership between TP Singh and Sanyal which steadied the innings.
— PTI |
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Punjab flounder
Chennai, January 13 With just one wicket in hand, Punjab are still four runs behind Mumbai and under pressure of conceding the crucial first innings lead as the match is heading for a draw with just a day's play remaining on the morrow. When Punjab resumed their innings at 83 for two, the overnight batsmen Kanwar Raina (50, 227 balls, seven fours) and Perry Goel (44, 224 balls, three fours) carried forward their fruitful association and added 95 runs for the third wicket, batting together for 433 balls. Brief Scores: Mumbai 229; Punjab 225-9 in 165 overs (K. Anwar Raina 50, Perry Goel 44, H Chowla 44, Anil Sihag 66, Syed Iqbal 74).
— UNI
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Lahore boys for Kapoor hockey
Chandigarh, January 13 Mr Harbhajan Singh, president of the organising committee, said the tournament would be played on a league-cum-knock out basis and would serve as one of selection tournaments for the India under-17 team. He said the winners would carry home Rs 1 lakh prize, while the runners-up and the third-placed team will get Rs 60,000 and Rs 40,000, respectively. Each of the best players - goalkeeper, fullback, halfback, forward - besides the top scorer and most promising player of the tournament will get a cash prize of Rs 5,000 each. The selection committee will be headed by Olympian Ajitpal Singh. The IHF has appointed Mr K.S. Matharoo as the tournament director, besides deputing eight international and national-level umpires. In all 16 top teams of the country have been invited to participate. Eight of these teams are seeded straight into the pre-quarter-finals. Two teams from each pool will qualify for the quarterfinals, Mr Harbhajan Singh added.
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Jarkhar, Amloh lads enter semis
Ludhiana, January 13 Jarkhar lads beat Ferozepur XI 2-1 while Amloh Academy swarmed Khambran Academy, Jalandhar, 12-0. Continuing their winning streak, Mata Sahib Kaur Academy, Jarkhar, overpowered Ferozepur XI. Though they played attacking hockey and also got a number of scoring opportunities, however, luck eluded them. Had they availed the chances which came their way, the score sheet could have been different.
— OSR
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Chandigarh golfers to play in Pak
Chandigarh, January 13 The team members had gathered at the Sector 8 residence of golf club course captain Sandeep Sandhu this morning. They could not have asked for a better Lohri gift than the passports and visa clearance that were handed over to them. This will be the first reciprocal visit by the Chandigarh Golf Club team in response to the Pakistan golfers’ visit to the club here for a two-day tournament in February, 2005. The team will play a two-day tournament with the winner being decided on a cumulative nett score. The Royal Palm Golf and Country Club team of Lahore had won the two-day event in 2005 by a very narrow margin. Determined to avenge the “goodwill defeat”, the Chandigarh golfers will play on the first day at the Royal Palm Club. The venue will shift to the Lahore Gymkhana Golf Club the next day. Besides playing golf, the team members will visit Nankana Sahib and also go to Faisalabad. The president of the Chandigarh Golf Club, Mr G.S. Sandhu, will lead the team. Mr Sandhu hopes to make the friendship tour a biennial affair. The golfers will cross the Wagah border on the morning of January 16. The tour will conclude on January 20. Team: Gurinderjit Singh Sandhu, Mrs Sadhana Sandhu, Sandeep S. Sandhu, Master Sumaer Sandhu, Gurjit Singh Lehal, Mrs Jaswant Kaur Lehal, Virendra Sharma, Mrs Manjit Sharma, Narinder Singh Sandhu, Mrs Harinder Sandhu, Pritam Singh Hura, Mrs Bimaljit Kaur Hura, Harish Chander Sethi, Mrs Manjit Sethi, Onkar Anand, Mrs Renu Anand, Anil Gakhar, Mrs Aradhana Gakhar, Surinder Kumar, Mrs Gursharan Kaur, Kuldip Singh Bhattal, Kulwant Singh, Mrs Mooninder Sandhu, Master Ishan Sandhu, Dr G.S. Kochhar and Dr V. Sachdev.
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Kila Raipur Games from February 1
Chandigarh, January 13 The bullock cart races, considered to be the main event will attract farmers the most. The farmers of Punjab nurse and nourish their bullocks round-the-year for the bullock cart races in the Kila Raipur Games, says Mr Grewal. Dancing horses, tent pegging and horse show, para gliding, dog races, loading and unloading of tractor trolley, track and field events, cycle races, hockey, tug-of-war, kabaddi and tug-of-war are some of other events. The organisers are offering cash prizes to the athletes who obtain first three positions. The winner will get Rs 5,000, runner-up Rs 3,000 and third position holder Rs 2,000. Mr Sukhvir Grewal said that at the end of each days’ sporting events, there will be cultural programmes featuring noted artistes. Folk dances - gidha bhangra, Rajasthani and Haryanvi dances - dhadi jatha and bhand marrasi and top folk singers will make the evenings thrilling and entertaining.
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Chandigarh, January 13
