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Warm-up
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COUNTDOWN
Hussey: Aussies out to reclaim top spot
Plunkett offers kidney to ailing father
Members of the Orissa Steelers team hold the PHL trophy after beating Sher-e-Jalandhar 4-3 in the third final at the Sector 42 Hockey Stadium in Chandigarh on Monday. — Tribune photo by Vicky Gharu
Anand back in sole lead
JCT thrash HASC
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India take on Dutch today
Montego Bay (Jamaica), March 5 The Rahul Dravid-led team, which is regarded as a front-runner for the title by a few former cricketers, will use the opportunity to fine-tune their skills for the mega event. The Indians will play another practice game against the West Indies on Friday before the tournament gets underway on March 13. The Indians will open their campaign with a match against Bangladesh in Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad on March 17. The Indian team will go into the tournament high on confidence after their recent home series wins against the West Indies and Sri Lanka. Dravid said his team was well-prepared for the tournament. “We have a pretty good team and we are very confident,” he said. The captain also said he was hopeful that the tournament would unfold positively for the team which had finished runners-up in the previous 2003 edition. “I know that all the other teams will be aiming to play their best cricket but we are very confident that this is going to be a very good tournament for us,” Dravid added. India, one of the only five countries to have won the title, have been placed with former champions Sri Lanka, minnows Bangladesh and Bermuda, the ICC associate member, in Group B. In the other warm-up matches tomorrow, Pakistan will meet Canada in Trinidad and defending champions Australia will play Zimbabwe in St Vincent. New Zealand will take on Bangladesh in Barbados. Sachin confident of good show
Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar is confident that he would be in fine nick in the Caribbean World Cup and help India have a shot at the title. “I am looking forward to having a good tournament I am hoping that both my batting and bowling will come good. “I am not under any pressure at this time I feel quite confident and I am ready to go,” Tendulkar said while addressing India’s first press conference after reaching the Caribbean at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel here yesterday. Though not predicting an Indian win, he said he was expecting the team to do very well. Tendulkar, whose 673 runs in South Africa in 2003 is the highest aggregate in a single World Cup, warned that Australia were still a very dangerous team in spite of their five straight losses before coming to the Caribbean. “You cannot write off the Australians, they are a team that knows how to bounce back when they are under pressure. “Any top eight team can win the Cup,” said the 33-year-old who is in his fifth World Cup appearance. Captain Rahul Dravid and coach Greg Chappell sounded confident that India have the capacity to win. “We have a pretty good team and we are very confident,” said Dravid. “I know that all the other teams will be aiming to play their best cricket but we are very confident that this is going to be a very good tournament for us,” he said. Chappell said India were one of three teams that will go into the tournament with a well-balanced unit. “We will not be relying on any special players because the team is fairly well balanced all round,” said the former Australia captain.
— PTI, UNI
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COUNTDOWN Gopal Sharma
Deadly on their day, they will be expected to win matches for their teams with sheer hostility and aggression bordering on disdain.
Bond, Tait and Malinga have one thing in common. Genuinely quick, they easily touch the 150-kmph mark. They have the ability to make batsmen hop and look ungainly with sheer pace on responsive and bouncy tracks. The value of a genuine fast bowler in the squad has long been recognised. Generally used in short bursts, they are expected to make the new ball count, unleash nasty bouncers in the middle overs and clean up the troublesome tail at the fag end. Bond is the most experienced among them. At 31, he is the oldest among the lot and the most lethal too. Ever since he broke onto the international stage in 2001, Bond has been a genuine match winner for New Zealand. His most lethal delivery is the inswinging yorker with which Bond has won many games for New Zealand. When he returned after injury in a tri-series match in Zimbabwe in 2005-06, Bond ambushed India with the amazing figures of 6 for 19, best by a New Zealand bowler till date. In January 2007, Bond took a hat-trick against Australia in a limited-overs match. In the series, an in-form Bond completed 100 ODI wickets to emerge the second-fastest bowler in the history of one-day cricket to achieve the feat. In February, Bond took 5 for 23 as Australia crashed to their first-ever 10-wicket defeat. Though he could not play the last match, New Zealand completed an unprecedented 3-0 whitewash over the Aussies and Bond’s contribution was decisive. “I will try to shake them up,” said the 24-year-old Australian paceman Shaun Tait after he was drafted in the Australian squad for the World Cup in place of an injured Lee. “Shaun’s pace will give us extra firepower during the power plays and at the end of the innings” Andrew Hilditch, chairman of Australia’s selection panel said, justifying Tait’s selection. Aussie selectors are convinced that Tait has the pace to trouble batsmen and he could be his team’s trumpcard at the “death”. During the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy matches against New Zealand, though Australia lost the series, Tait bowled at a lively pace proving that he was ready for the mega event along with McGrath and Co. With an unusual sling arm action, Lasith Malinga is easily the fastest bowler Sri Lanka has ever produced. Not very tall, Malinga is known to generate blistering pace with an unusual whipping action. Despite his inexperience, he has immense potential. Generating impressive pace in the recent series in New Zealand, Malinga took wickets at crucial junctures to prove that he could be a threat in the Caribbean. Sri Lanka coach Tom Moody said besides experienced players, Lasith Malinga could play a key role during the World Cup. “Malinga’s development has been incredible. He could have a huge impact in this World Cup,” Moody observed. The 23-year-old Malinga took 30 wickets in 18 matches last year. His ability to bowl searing toe-crushers at the “death” at great pace could be quite handy for Sri Lanka. With World Cup not far away, these speed merchants will have crucial roles to play in shaping the fortunes of their teams in the West Indies. — TNS
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Hussey: Aussies out to reclaim top spot
Melbourne, March 5 South Africa recently upstaged Australia from the top ranking after Ricky Ponting’s men suffered five consecutive defeats against England and New Zealand last month. “We did pride ourselves on being the number one team in the world and if results go our way in this tournament then we can get our way back to that No. 1 where we want to be,” Hussey said. “We still believe we are up there with the best teams in the world but we just have to prove it on this tour,” he was quoted as saying by The Age. Hussey also said the pressure to perform would remain on the world champion team. “Not really. I think there is always going to be pressure in international cricket,” said the middle-order batsman, who captained Australia during their New Zealand tour. “We really enjoyed being on the top and we strived harder and harder to try to make the gap further and further between one and two,” he said adding “so now first we try to get that No. 1 place back and then we have to try to make the gap bigger again.” Symonds back in actionAustralia’s injury-plagued World Cup preparations received a shot in the arm after all-rounder Andrew Symonds did his first net practice since rupturing his right bicep. Symonds did 10 minutes of batting practice with tennis balls at the Arnos Vale stadium, Saint Vincent, The Herald Sun reported. Symonds said he felt good during the brief session, which prompted the team management to postpone the medical examination of his arm by a day. Symonds is expected to face cricket balls by next week and start throwing within the next 15 days. Australia physiotherapist Alex Kontouris said he was hopeful of the all-rounder being fit for the match against South Africa at St Kitts on March 24. “He has been using the bat against resistance with a bit of tubing in the rooms, so today we thought we would get him out with a tennis ball,” Kountouris said. “It’s not that strenuous on his injured bicep, so it wasn’t much of a worry. It feels fine. The harder things are to come over the next week,” he added. — PTI
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Plunkett offers kidney to ailing father
London, March 5 However, the 21-year-old's father Alan, who suffers from a hereditary kidney disorder, has turned him down, saying he could not jeopardise his son's future in the game. Plunkett is part of England's 15-man squad for the World Cup and played a key role in the its victory over hosts Australia in the recent one-day tri-series finals in February. Alan, who needs either renal dialysis or a transplant, cannot be helped by his two brothers or a sister as they suffer from the same ailment. "The only person in my family who could give me a kidney is Liam," the 49-year-old said. "As soon as he found out he offered me one straight away without any consideration whatsoever about his career. All he was worried about was me and my health and he simply said, 'take one of mine'," Alan was quoted as saying in 'Sunday Sun'. "You could not do anything more
for a parent but I said, 'thanks but no thanks'. “It was an amazing thing to do but I could not accept because I'd be worried it would affect his cricket career. It could have set him back a long way but he was not concerned about that at all,” he added. Liam, on his part, said "with close family on their death bed you would, wouldn't you? "He said he wouldn't take it because of the career I have ahead of me. I was fully prepared but he wouldn't accept it anyway."
— PTI
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Chennai, March 5 The Australian bowlers did well to restrict their rivals to 177 for nine in 50 overs after the Kiwis chose to bat. The batswomen then continued the good work with the Aussies finishing at 181 for four in 38.2 overs to complete a facile win. India finish last
Thanks to a brilliant unbeaten knock of 77 by Claire Taylor and her 67-run stand with Claire Taylor, England pushed host India to fourth position defeating the latter by six wickets to finish in the third position in the quadrangular tournament here today. At the IIT Chemplast, chasing a target of 220 after restricting India eves, who won the toss and batted first, to 219 in 49.2 overs, England made 220 losing four wickets in 46.2 overs with Claire hitting 77 off 98 balls wit nine fours and Lydia remaining unbeaten on 32 off 38 balls with four fours.
— UNI
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Steelers have the last laugh
Chandigarh, March 5 Cash bonanza Winners: Orissa Steelers (Rs 40 lakh) Runners-up: Sher-e-Jalandhar (Rs 15 lakh) Third-placed team: Bangalore Lions (Rs 7.5 lakh) Fair-play award: Bangalore Lions (Rs 1.5 lakh) Player of the tournament: Dilip Tirkey (Rs 1.5 lakh) Top goal scorer: Gagan Ajit Singh - 16 (Rs 1.5 lakh) For the third straight time, a team from North India was pipped at the post. The Shers had finished runners-up behind Hyderabad Sultans in the inaugural edition, while Chandigarh Dynamos had lost to Bangalore Lions last year. The all-important title-winner came in the 55th minute. As Dilip’s rasping shot off a penalty corner sounded the board, umpire Satinder Sharma signalled a goal. The Shers protested, claiming that they were not ready when the push was taken, and Satinder was manhandled by some of them. Play was held up for a few minutes, and the umpire was duly replaced (he was eventually whisked away by security men before the end of the match). The TV umpire came into the picture. After a long wait, he ruled in favour of the Steelers, much to the chagrin of the Shers as well as the partisan crowd. It took some persuasion to make the Shers take the field, but the task of equalising proved too much for them. They not only lost the title but also had to be content with the runners-up prize money of Rs 15 lakh, as much as Rs 25 lakh less than what the winners got (the huge gap is not fair to the losing finalist). The third and deciding final got off to a cracking start as the Steelers went on the offensive right from the word go. They earned two penalty corners in quick succession, and Dilip Tirkey converted the second in the fourth minute to put his team 1-0 up. The Shers’ goal poacher, Gagan Ajit Singh, restored parity by scoring off a penalty corner in the 16th minute. He followed it up with a brilliant field goal in the 25th minute — executing a fierce reverse flick from the top of the ‘D’ that crashed into the net — to make it 2-1. Seven minutes later, the Steelers hit back with a penalty-corner conversion by Damandeep Singh (2-2). The see-saw battle intensified as the Shers took the lead again through Tejbir Singh in the 41th minute. Their joy was shortlived this time too as the Steelers equalised through Bimal Lakra, who converted a penalty stroke. Then came Dilip Tirkey’s penalty-corner goal — his 11th of the league — which sealed the Shers’ fate. It was a great fightback by the Steelers, who had lost the first final on Friday in sudden death. They rallied from a goal down to clinch the second final 2-1 yesterday, thanks to a brace by enterprising forward Roshan Minz. The triumph was particularly special for Steelers’ coach AK Bansal as he had guided the team to victory in Tier II last year. On the whole, the Steelers turned out to be worthy victors. They remained consistent during both legs of the league (the first in Chennai and the second in the City Beautiful). With their coordinated team effort, they made light of the lack of star power.
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Anand back in sole lead
Linares (Spain), March 5 Having beaten Carlsen in the first leg of the event held at Morelia in Mexico, this turned out to be another fine outing for the Indian ace especially as it came at a time when Carlsen was in joint lead with him. The victory took Anand a full point clear of Carlsen and Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine, who both have 5.5 points apiece. Russian Peter Svidler and Armenian Levon Aronian were in joint fourth spot on 5 points each while Topalov was sixth on 4.5 points ahead of Hungarian Peter Leko and Russian Alexander Morozevich, at 4 points. Anand should need just two more points in the remaining four rounds to regain the title he last won in 1998. Yet again, the day produced only one decisive game while the remaining three in the 8-players double round robin ended in draws. Peter Leko was seen pressing hard for a victory against top seed Veselin Topalov but in the end the latter held on to his own.
— PTI
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Bangalore, March 5 The winners were leading 2-0 at halftime. Chidi opened the account in the 18th minute by moving in quickly latching on to a pass following a good one-two effort between striker Daljeet Singh and Baldeep Junior. The visitors doubled the lead within a couple of minutes with Sunil Chhetri superbly heading home off a free kick by P Renedy Singh. The millmen further increased the lead when the Nigerian scored his second goal heading into the net a free kick taken again by Renedy Singh just before time. — UNI
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London, March 5
They are a breed apart. Charging in furiously and hurling the cherry at a great speed, they leave the stumps shattered, prides dented and limbs bruised. In the absence of fiery Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee because of injury, the onus will be on tearaway pacers Shane Bond, Shaun Tait and Lasith Malinga to set the spectators’ adrenaline pumping in the upcoming World Cup.
