New Delhi, March 3
An out of form Virender Sehwag was selected in India’s World Cup cricket squad only because captain Rahul Dravid insisted on his inclusion, chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar has disclosed.

Vengsarkar said the selectors had initially decided to leave out Sehwag but Dravid insisted on having the hard-hitting batsman in the ranks and they eventually agreed.

“I would always back the captain. When I was leading India, I never got the team I wanted and I didn’t want Rahul to go through the same. He insisted on having Sehwag and that made the difference”, he told Karan Thapar in CNN-IBN’s “Devil’s Advocate”, to be telecast tomorrow.

Vengsarkar admitted Sehwag did not feature in the initial scheme of things for his prolonged run-drought but enjoyed backing from some quarters in the team.

“It was a bit of gamble (to have him in the side)...But I think he has done extremely well in the past. Besides, he has won a lot of matches for India. We are hoping that he would do well in the World Cup,” he added.

Since taking over from Kiran More, Vengsarkar’s tenure so far has seen return of the old guards and the former India captain insisted experience could not be done away with.

“It’s important to have fresh legs in the field but the fact of the matter is that you need to win also. And for that you need experience,” he explained.

Also shedding light on Irfan Pathan’s selection, Vengsarkar said, “Both Irfan and Sehwag have fantastic records and they have done extremely well in the past. But again form is important as well. But they have experience, which makes a lot of difference. If there are tight games, experience can win you matches.”

He also justified the decision to appoint Sachin Tendulkar as the vice captain of the side.

“Rahul is an experienced player, so is Sachin. If something happens to Dravid, God forbid, Sachin can lead,” he reasoned.

He is a livewire on the field. Tigerish resolve while patrolling the cover area, supreme athleticism and sharp reflexes are the traits that make Andrew Symonds a vital part of the Australian one-day squad. Though he did not taste success in Tests, Symonds is the type of player any skipper would love to have in his ODI squad.

On the whole, he is somewhat like former Indian all-rounder Robin Singh - an agile fielder, a hard-hitting middle order batsman and a useful bowler capable of providing his team crucial breakthroughs.

Symonds’ family shifted from the West Indies to Australia when he was very young. He had the option of representing England (he was born in Birmingham) or Australia at the international stage. But the burly all-rounder opted to play for Australia.

Symonds first served notice of his talent when, representing Gloucestershire in 1995, he clobbered a record 16 sixes during the course of a double century.

Symonds has the ability to excel on the big stage. His performance in the 2003 World Cup in South Africa is a testimony to this fact. Symonds surprised Pakistan with his authoritative innings of 143 off 125 balls at Johannesburg. Pakistan were in the driver’s seat after Wasim Akram had accounted for Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden and Damien Martyn in his opening spell.

But an imperious Symonds, coming in to bat at number 6, played the innings of his life. Overnight he became a hero and a match-winner was discovered.

In the semifinal against Sri Lanka, Symonds again rose to the occasion. With the most of the batsmen falling to the combined guile of Chaminda Vaas, Aravinda de Silva and Sanath Jayasuriya, a rock-solid Symonds notched up 91, while Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Brad Hogg did the rest as Australia entered the final.

Brushing aside India in the final, Australia finally won their second successive World Cup and Symonds’ contribution was as good as any of his team-mates.

After playing 161 one-day matches, Symonds has a phenomenal strike rate of 90 plus. His fastish off-cutters have fetched him 121 wickets.

Last week, he was named in the greatest ODI Australian dream team, bringing him on the same pedestal as Shane Warne, McGrath, Adam Gilchrist and the Waughs - Steve and Mark.

Now a senior member of the team, the onus will be on Symonds along with other key players to ensure that the reverses suffered against England and then New Zealand in the run-up to the mega event were a mere aberration.

On his part, Symonds will be more than willing to replicate his 2003 performance to help Australia achieve an unprecedented hat-trick of titles. — TNS

India should win the World Cup. I have never seen a stronger Indian one-day side: it’s well-represented in batting and its bowling crop is very, very impressive. It’s so good, I guess, that raising the issue of fielding appears a bit improper.

I see a lot of similarity in this side to the one I captained in the World Cup triumph of 1996. It starts at the top and Robin Uthappa showcases the feel-good factor. I was really charmed by his strokeplay in recent weeks. Uthappa and Virender Sehwag are team’s openers in my book. Rahul Dravid should occupy the position I did in the 1996 campaign: hence his slot is between Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Only a player of his quality can shift the gears so effortlessly.

India, it is in my estimation, who would take some beating. Rahul Dravid is a fine captain and he must let his match-winners, Tendulkar and Sehwag, Ganguly and Yuvraj, perform with freedom. They must be unfettered for their creativity to take the centrestage.

As a captain, Dravid needs to get the maximum out of his men, even a per cent’s loss of their ability wouldn’t reflect well on him. It should be true not just of 11 but all 15 members of the squad.

Luck is no small issue either: even in our campaign in 1996, we were very lucky to lose the toss in Kolkata in the semi-finals. I would have surely fielded had we won the toss.

Fortunately, it was the lot of Indians to bat second on a crumbling pitch on that fateful evening.

As I see it, India, Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand will be the semifinalists in this edition. Sri Lanka, because it’s bowling attack is better than it was in 1996. Chaminda Vaas and Muthiah Muralitharan need no introduction and Lasith Malinga could be the flavour of the team’s campaign.

I still feel they should have had Upul Chandana and Nuwan Zoysa in the squad for in a campaign of this order, you need members who can fulfil more than one role: an all-round side and that’s one invariable the best sides of different eras have shown.

Australia you can never discount. They didn’t have 5-6 of their best players in New Zealand and I sometimes wonder if it was pure bluff or real fatigue and other issues which kept them away. But now all of them, except Brett Lee, will be back and they would be a force to reckon with. Australia has it in them to win four of five of their Super Eight games, an essential to qualify for the semifinals.

I would have had South Africa as the fourth semifinalist but for a disturbing trait they show in big tournaments. They crumble in big matches. I am also not convinced about their bowlers as match-winners. Shaun Pollock on average tracks is no longer a force: I see only Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs as their true match-winners. — PTI

New Delhi, March 3
A look at the team lists in this year’s World Cup and it’s more than obvious that India is not only driving cricket’s economy but also contributing to the talent base of some other countries.

As the ninth World Cup approaches, it is apt to celebrate this Indian connection.

England: Monty Panesar: The first Sikh to play for England is only 13 Tests and nine ODIs old but already a household name in his land of birth as well as that of his forefathers.

Ravinder Bopara: ‘Puppy’ claimed the wicket of Mike Hussey in the only one-dayer he has played so far, but the former Under-19 and ‘A’ team player is primarily a batsman who can bowl a bit.

New Zealand: Jeetan Patel: The offie picked 5-145 in his first-class debut for Wellington and has been a perfect foil to the left-arm spin of Daniel Vettori. Has 25 scalps from 17 ODIs so far, and is also a brilliant fielder.

Kenya: Tanmay Mishra: This Mumbai-born is the most promising amongst the youngsters picked by the Kenyan selectors last year in their effort to rebuild the side.

Hiren Varaiya: Nicknamed ‘Viru’, Varaiya had an as memorable ODI debut when he claimed a wicket off his first ball in a match against Canada last year.

Mallhar Patel: Shahid Afridi gifted him the first ball duck on debut in the Champions Trophy in England in 2004. A middle order batsman, Patel has played three one-day matches so far.

Rajesh Bhudia: ‘Cocu’ comes from Bhuj, Gujarat. A right arm medium-pacer, he has played in three first-class matches and taken five wickets.

Canada: Ashish Bagai: The Delhi-born wicketkeeper-batsman will be take part in his second World Cup, having played in the 2003 edition in South Africa. Bagai, also the north-American team’s vice-captain, has 710 runs from 26 one-dayers under his belt.

Scotland: Navdeep Singh Poonia: The 6-foot 3-inch Glasgow-born came into the World Cup squad because of his performance in the World Cricket League, in which Scotland finished runners-up to Kenya, with 111 runs from eight matches. — PTI

Chennai, March 3
Defending champions Australia edged out India in a heart-stopping last ball win to set up a title clash with its traditional rival New Zealand in the final of the ICC women’s quadrangular cricket tournament here on March five.

In the last second leg league match, amid mounting tension, the seventh wicket pair of C.L. Fitzpatrick and J.M. Purves added an unbeaten 47 runs in 7.1 overs to help the Aussies secure a four-wicket win and a place in the final.

Earlier, Australia restricted India to 230 for nine and replied with 231 for six in 50 overs.

Fitzpatrick, who scored a 29-ball 31 with three fours, scampered through for a single off the last ball after cutting Goswami to point to trigger jubilant scenes in the Aussie camp.

In another last league match, New Zealand defeated England by 27 runs to top the league with 21 points (five wins from six matches).

Australia finished with 18 points followed by India (13) and England (zero).

The Aussies got off to a blazing start with Bulow (85, 91 balls, 12x4) and L K Poulton (27, 75 balls, 2x4, 1x6) adding 74 for the first wicket in 21.3 overs. Bulow added further 59 in 11 overs for the second wicket with Rolton (29, 41 balls, 2x4) to put the innings on a firm footing.

However, India struck back and reduced the rivals from 133 for one in 32.2 overs to 152 four in 35.1 overs. India sensed victory picking up to more wickets to reduce the Aussies to 184 for six in 42.5 overs, before judicious batting by the seventh wicket pair put paid to the hopes of Indians. — UNI

Hyderabad, March 3
Country’s top-seeded woman tennis player Sania Mirza will be out of action for a month after a ligament injury.

According to doctors at Apollo Hospital here, where she was admitted with pain and swelling in her joint, Sania sustained a hyperextension injury to her right knee during the Qatar Open tennis tournament.

Sania, ranked 46th in the world, had pulled out of the Qatar Open earlier this week owing to her knee injury after her victory over Italy’s Romina Oprandi.

She today underwent a surgical procedure called arthroscopy, which revealed a stretched anterior cruciate ligament.

“An intense physiotherapy and rehabilitation regimen will commence and her recovery will be reviewed after four weeks before taking a decision on further course of action” a bulletin from the hospital said.

A team of doctors headed by Dr K. J. Reddy, Sr. Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, is attending on the 20-year-old player. She will be discharged from the hospital in a couple of days.

To a query, Dr Reddy said her recent rigorous physical regimen could not have been the reason for the injury. “In fact, her knee ligament function, despite the injury, appears to be adequate because of her present fitness,” he said.

Sania had recently hired South African physical trainer Heath Mathew to help with her fitness.

Phuket, March 3
India’s Jeev Milkha Singh, 35, was named Asian Player of the Year today after a successful season where he lifted four titles and topped the Asian Tour Order of Merit. Jeev, who went seven years without a victory prior to the 2006 season, won last year’s Volvo China Open and the Volvo Masters in Spain, in addition to his two consecutive titles on the Japanese Tour.

Other nominees for the award were Thailand’s Prom Meesawat and South Korean Yang Yong-eun. Spaniard Alvaro Quiros was named Young Player of the Year after his win at the Alfred Dunhill Championships, while 18-year-old Thai Chintarat Phadungsil received the Rising Star award, a year after he became Asia’s youngest champion while still an amateur.

Meanwhile, Jeev maintained his tied 11th spot despite a tough back nine, returning one-under 71 after 54 holes in the Johnnie Walker Classic at Blue Canyon Country Clubhere today.

The Indian ace suffered a double bogey and a bogey was seven behind unexpected leader Richard Sterne of South Africa, who was in danger of missing the cut after a first round 75.

Sterne has since then shot two straight 64s to move into the lead at 13-under par total of 203.

Rahil Gangjee (71) moved up slightly from 23rd to 21st at four-under. Gaurav Ghei (74) had three bogeys and one birdie and dropped from overnight 32nd to tied 50th.

Shiv Kapur had four bogeys and just one bogey on a tough day and slipped from overnight 32nd to tied 58th.

Kapur was struggling with his putting needing 32 and 31 on first and third days but surprisingly needed just 23 on second day, when he hit the irons very well and came close to the flag. — Reuters, PTI

New Delhi, March 3
India’s Anup Sridhar stormed into the semifinals with a spirited victory over ninth seeded Sung Hwan Park of Korea in the Yonex German Open Badminton in Bottrop, Germany.

Sridhar, enjoying a fine run in the elite tournament, came from behind in a tough encounter to beat Park 15-21, 23-21, 21-17 in 49 minutes late last night.

He reaped rewards for his aggressive game as he won frequent points with smashes and a superior net game.

Sridhar is lined-up against top seed Chinese Lin Dan for a place in the final.

Lin eased past Malaysia’s Choong Hann Wong 21-15, 21-14 in just 29 minutes.

However, it was the end of the road for the men’s doubles pair of Rupesh Kumar and Sanave Thomas, who were outclassed by top seeded Koreans Jae Sung Jung and Yong Dae Lee 21-9 21-15 in the quarter-final. — PTI