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Australia fly on Pigeon’s wings
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Woolmer’s murder
Must-win tie for Windies
Miandad writes
Report on India’s WC flop show on April 6
Indians fail to go beyond heats
Jeev, Chopra make cut
Churchill hold Mahindras
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Australia fly on Pigeon’s wings
St John’s, March 31 The 37-year-old claimed the record with the wicket of Aftab Ahmed. The scalp was McGrath’s 56th in 33 World Cup matches, surpassing Wasim Akram’s tally of 55 from 38 games. The “Pigeon” also got rid of Mohammad Ashraful to take his tally to 57. Put into bat in the match reduced to 22 overs a side after a wet outfield held up the start of play for five hours, Bangladesh made 104 for 6 in 22 overs. In reply, Australia raced to 106 in 13.5 overs. Scoreboard
Bangladesh Iqbal c Hogg b Bracken 3 Nafees b McGrath 1 Aftab c Bracken Saqibul c Gilchrist b Tait 25 Ashraful c Ponting Bashar c Ponting Mortaza not out 25 Rahim not out 2 Extras (w-7) 7 Total (6 wkts, 22 overs) 104 Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-8, 3-25, 4-37, 5-65, 6-97. Bowling: Bracken 4-0-20-2, McGrath 5-0-16-3, Tait 4-0-28-1, Watson 1.4-0-4-0, Hogg 5-0-20-0, Symonds 2.2-0-16-0. Australia Gilchrist not out 59 Hayden not out 47 Total
(13.5 overs) 106 Bowling: Mortaza 4-0-20-0, Baisya 2.5-0-35-0, Aftab 0.1-0-1-0, Razzak 3-0-15-0, Rafique 3-0-21-0, Saqibul 0.5-0-14-0.
— Agencies
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Inzy takes responsibility for fiasco
Lahore, March 31 The veteran batsman, who announced his retirement from one-day cricket and resigned as captain of the Test team in the aftermath of the debacle told a press conference here that it was unfair to talk about match-fixing after Pakistan’s exit from the World Cup. The emotional Inzamam attacked the media for not supporting the team in the hour of crisis and instead tarnishing the image of Pakistan cricket. “Nobody in the media supported the team. Our whole media was writing against the team. They were only into tarnishing the image of the team. If our team lost two matches, does that mean that we are no more Pakistanis,” Inzamam said. “It was the time when the team needed the support of the media, but tell me was there anybody who stood by the team. It is common in Pakistan to attack the team,” he said. Inzamam also said that whatever happened with the team he was the first one to be blamed by the media. “I take complete responsibility of the loss. But the feedback that I am getting is that I am being blamed for everything in Pakistan cricket. Even if a peon is changed in Pakistan Cricket Board, everybody starts saying that it is Inzamam’s hand,” he said. “I have played for 16 years and given everything to the country. My family has been going through a bad phase. The media should support the team more when the team goes through such a bad phase,” Inzamam said. Inzamam also minced no word in attacking the former players for their negative comments against the team. Asked specifically about Sarfaraz Nawaz comment that match-fixing was the reason for Woolmer’s murder, Inzamam said, “nobody takes Sarfaraz Nawaz seriously, I have been hearing the same things from him, since I was born,” he said. “For the last three-four years, there was no match-fixing thing in the team. Suddenly it has come up from nowhere,” he said. “People are really harsh in the subcontinent particularly in India and Pakistan. The players live in fear as to what will happen if the team lost. Such a thing does not happen in any other country,” he said. When asked why he did not bat up the order, Inzamam said, “Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf have scored lots of run at the number three position in last two years. They have played better than me at that position and I wanted to give them a chance. It was important for the team that they played up the order,” he said. Inzamam hoped that his Test career ended on a happier note. “I hope that my Test career ends in a better way.” Inzamam said the main factor behind the team’s loss was grassy wicket of Jamaica, where his team was upset by Ireland. “You all must have seen matches (in the World Cup), that wicket (Jamaica) was different and the toss played a crucial role. It was not a matter of a big or small team, the ball did a lot on that wicket after we lost the toss,” he said. Inzamam, who has announced retirement from the one-day internationals, tipped his deputy Younis Khan as the next captain of the team. “He has even led the side on a number of occasions and I think he should be the captain, but again it all depends on the Pakistan Cricket Board,” he said. On public outrage in the country after his team’s defeat, Inzamam reacted by saying “wasn’t I a citizen of Pakistan? (Haven’t) I served this country for 17 years? Is this what I deserved?” Inzamam said his team was under stress after the death of coach Bob Woolmer. “It was an unusual situation for all the players because it was no less than a shock to us,” he said.
— PTI
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PCB suspends players’ contracts
Lahore, March 31 “All players’ contracts stand suspended... the board will introduce performance-based contracts very soon,” PCB chairman Naseem Ashraf told a press conference here. Pakistan were eliminated from the premier tournament following their upset defeat at the hands of Ireland in the preliminary round of the World Cup which also saw the mysterious death of their coach Bob Woolmer. Ashraf said it was not a time to “panic and overreact” and the board will take decisions on the captain and vice-captain at a later stage. Ashraf said their new cricket coach to replace Woolmer would be a Pakistani, triggering speculation that it could be former allrounder Mudassar Nazar. “We have lost our coach. We have kept all our options open... most likely it could be a Pakistani.” Ashraf said a decision on the new captain and vice-captain had been put off for around a month. “I will think about it in cool and considerate manner... Help from country’s cricketing minds will be taken on this before making announcement in next 30 days,” he said. “We have no immediate international commitments for next 4-5 months, so there is ample time to put our house in order,” he added. Ashraf, whose resignation after Pakistan’s World Cup debacle has been rejected by patron-in-chief Pervez Musharraf, said Pakistan’s next international assignment was the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa in September and the board had enough time to put the house in order. “It’s not the time to panic and overreact. I know people are angry and disgusted with the performance of the national team, but let me assure you that cricket is not going to die down in this country of 160 million,” Ashraf added. Ashraf said the board had formed a three-member performance evaluation committee to look into the causes of the defeats in the West Indies. “The committee comprising former Test players Ejaz Ahmed, Salahuddin Ahmed and Salim Altaf will submit its report within the next 30 days, and it will be released publicly,” he said. The PCB chief said measures would be taken to improve the situation and emphasised the importance of discipline in the team during their overseas tours.
— PTI
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British police to join probe
London, March 31 The British police team will consist of three detectives and a crime officer, a spokeswoman for the force said. “We received a formal request from the Jamaican authorities to review the investigation,” she told AFP. She could not confirm precisely when they would arrive or give further details of what their work would likely entail. In a statement, the Met said it was “normal practice” for a review to take place shortly after the start of an investigation and stressed that the Jamaican Constabulary Force would remain “the primary investigating force”. A detective superintendent will lead the team from the homicide and serious crime command, the statement added. Woolmer’s body was found nearly two weeks ago at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston. The murder of the 58-year-old, which came the day after Pakistan was knocked out of the World Cup by Ireland, has prompted speculation of links to illegal betting syndicates. But the police has said there is no evidence to suggest bookmakers were responsible. — AFP
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Ex-players spring to Sachin’s defence
New Delhi, March 31 Ajay Jadeja: It is all very well for Ian to give such an advice but the answer has to come only from Tendulkar. Ian should remember how Tendulkar has achieved his greatness and carried the weight of expectations of a billion people since the age of 16. Former Australian captains Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh were not going great guns long before they announced their retirement. Australians don’t treat their heroes badly but they come here and want to demolish our heroes. Erapalli Prasanna: Tendulkar does not need any advisory on his retirement plans as he was mature enough to make the decision. Tendulkar is such a mature player he must be aware what he wants. I am sure he knows where exactly he stands in the game today and the decision on his retirement should be made by him and not by anybody else. K. Srikkanth: Tendulkar has one or two years of cricket ahead of him. He is such a committed player and if he has a lean phase in the World Cup, it does not mean that he has to call it a day. The whole team could not come up to the expectations and it should be left to Tendulkar himself to take any such decision. Atul Wassan: Tendulkar should give up ODIs to prolong his Test career. However, the final decision on leaving the game cannot be anybody else’s but Tendulkar’s. We don’t need to tell him when to retire. Tendulkar has set very high standards for himself and he knows best when to call it quits. Ashok Mankad: Chappell’s comments about Tendulkar playing only for records are uncalled-for as the little champion is known to be a team man and motivator. I don’t think Sachin has that kind of mindset to play for statistics, he is far above all those petty things. Syed Kirmani: There are at least two more years of cricket are left in Tendulkar, who is experienced enough to know when to call it quits. Ian has given his opinion. But such a decision rests in the hands of Tendulkar only. He is not a player to wilt under pressure and he knows his own strength. I feel and hope he will live up to the expectations of cricket lovers of the country. John Wright: Tendulkar still has some good cricket in him. There are another four or five batsmen who have not done well. In any case, it’s up to him to decide if he wants to continue playing. — PTI
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Must-win tie for Windies
Georgetown, March 31 The hosts find themselves in a must-win situation early in the second round after losing to defending champions Australia and New Zealand. They have just two points from three matches, courtesy of a win over fellow-qualifiers Ireland in the first round. They can’t afford another failure in their remaining four matches.
— AFP
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WC lacking spark
You don’t have to be an expert to deduce that the Sri Lankan and West Indian camps will be slightly tense on the match eve. Both sides are yet to open their respective accounts in the Super Eight, and have no option but to go for broke. Their status as hosts notwithstanding, the West Indies will begin the game as underdogs. The Sri Lankans are a lot more experienced. Their outfit comprises players who have been exposed to and have excelled in varied match-situations. The bowling attack wears a rounded look and the fielding has been quite outstanding. Chaminda Vaas is a formidable opponent with the new ball, and Muralitharan in a class of his own. West Indian spirits will be boosted by memories of Brian Lara’s successes against him, but it should be remembered that one-day cricket is not the same as Test cricket. In a Test, a batsman can take it upon himself to take on a troublesome bowler, but it is not so easy to do likewise in ODIs. Lara and his team-mates will have to rotate the strike. The West Indian captain might well have no problems against Murali, but he will not be able to do much after taking a single and reaching the non-striker’s end. Lara’s job of leading from the front will not be made any easier by his counterpart. However, without taking anything away from Mahela Jayawardene’s captaincy skills, I have to say that a leader is only as good as those whom he is leading. The likes of Vaas, Murali, Sangakkara, Jayasuriya and Arnold are experienced campaigners, and surely do not need to be told how to go about their respective jobs. A win against all odds will hearten the West Indian team and their supporters, some of whom will hopefully turn up for the match. That brings me to a sad fact: this World Cup has been an anti-climax. The ninth edition of the game’s biggest tournament had several drawbacks to begin with. The Caribbean isles are ‘out of the way’ for all the other major cricket-playing nations. The logistical problems were accentuated by visa problems, for every island is a separate country by itself. Bob Woolmer’s death came as a rude shock, as did the reports that seem to suggest foul play. Now, it appears that even the hosts are not drawing fans into the stadium. Each of the previous eight World Cups had an ‘atmosphere’, but that is missing this time round. Several people will contend that the ‘atmosphere’ would have existed had the crowd-pullers not crashed out in the first round. But this is not a game of ifs and buts, and the fact is that Pakistan and India were not good enough. Both countries find themselves neck-deep in problems at the moment. I feel the players would do themselves a great favour if they choose to listen carefully to what former cricketers are saying about them. Unlike their Australian, South African and New Zealand counterparts, Indian and Pakistani cricketers do not take very kindly to remarks made by those who have served the country with distinction. They tend to interpret such statements as a sign of ‘jealousy.’ Why will a former cricketer, who has had his fill of cricket, feel jealous? But he is bound to feel strongly about an institution he has served in the past, and it is perfectly natural for him to suggest ways and means of improving the working of that institution. It’s time the stars of today realise the difference between constructive criticism and slander. When in doubt, the best option is to consult one’s seniors, especially those who have played at the highest level. When that happens, nobody will be able to stop Pakistani and Indian cricket from reaching the top. — PMG
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Report on India’s WC flop show on April 6
Mumbai, March 31 Though Chappell, who has been facing flak for the debacle in the Caribbean, met BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah and other BCCI officials yesterday, he did not submit the report. Shah confirmed the meeting but refused to divulge more about it. “The report is not ready. It will be submitted on April 6,” Shah said. The same day skipper Rahul Dravid, coach Chappell and manager Sanjay Jagdale (also a national selection panel member) will meet BCCI officials and former captains who have been entrusted with the job of looking into the performance of Indian team and suggest ways of improvement. The BCCI’s all-powerful working committee is scheduled to meet the next day to discuss India’s shocking ouster in the league stage and take a final call on the matter. “We are going into the meeting with a blank mind,” Shah said. Meanwhile, the BCCI has added the name of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi to the committee of six former captains who have been invited to interact with the BCCI’s office-bearers to guide the board on revitalising the team. Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Chandu Borde, Srinivas Venkataraghavan, Ravi Shastri and Krishnamachari Srikkanath are the other members of the committee.
— PTI
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Double ton for Madugalle
Kingston, March 31 It is the first time any match referee has reached that milestone and he has taken charge of 67 ODIs more than the next most experienced ICC match referee, Clive Lloyd, who has officiated in 133. As a player, Madugalle represented Lanka in 21 Test matches and 65 ODIs between 1979 and 1989. He was captain from 1987 to 1989 and served two spells as a national selector in his home country. He was appointed to the ICC match referees panel in 1994 and became the first person to hold the position of chief match referee in 2001, a post he still occupies. He has taken charge of two cricket World Cup finals, in 1999 and 2003, as well as 94 Test matches, and is one of the most experienced and highly respected officials in the game. Before the World Cup match between Ireland and England at Guyana National Stadium Friday, ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed made a presentation to Madugalle in recognition of his enormous contribution to the game. “I am happy that I have been able to discharge my duties in a professional way for the past few years,” said Madugalle.
— IANS
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Warne wins back wife
Melbourne, March 31 Quoting a source close to the couple, The Sunday Telegraph reported that Warne and Simone have flown to England to start life afresh. The couple is reportedly set to settle down in Hampshire as Warne still has a couple of years left in his contract with the county side. “They have been working out their differences and you can draw your own conclusions,” a source close the couple told the paper. The Aussie legend was last year divorced by Simone after a string of extra-marital affairs and had been trying to win her back ever since bidding adieu to international cricket after the Ashes this year. The couple continued to live together even after divorce and enjoyed several holidays with their children before deciding to reunite. They put their mansion in the Melbourne suburb of Brighton for sale before leaving.
— PTI
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Our players lack fitness: Balbir
Parwinder Blaggan Tribune News Service
Sansarpur, March 31 But for this living legend, the downfall of the Indian hockey has not only degraded the nation but also created a question mark as to whether the game would be seeing the golden era ever again as it did in past. “The main cause for poor performance is the lack of physical fitness of players, rather than lack of skillful game. Being physically fit is the first priority for the players who have to handle tough opponents in the field,” said Balbir who was in Sansarpur yesterday to attend a felicitation programme organised by the Punjab Sports Department in association with the Sansarpur Hockey Association. “Rather than working on physical fitness at their respective places, the players expect to work upon the same in the camps. They think that coaches have some kind of magic stick with which they would be made up to mark physically. In the camps stress should be laid on playing techniques and skills only,” said Balbir who was the first hockey player to be awarded Padma Shri award in year1957. Putting aside the notion that players from grassy fields find it difficult to play on the astroturf in international tournaments, Balbir said, “What matters most is the meticulous planning and proper training and not the field on which one is playing. “Though the kind of field is also a factor but not the only factor to decide the fate of the match. We used to play on grassy surface and see where we have reached. It’s commitment towards the game which is needed,” he said. About the appointment of a Joqauim Carvalho as the chief coach of the Indian hockey team, Balbir said that frequent changing of the coaches is not a good move as it hampers the performance of the team. “The coach should be given some years with the team so that he gets attached with the players, both emotionally and professionally. For the coach it is very important to know the player closely, which not only includes his capability as a player but also what is happening in his personal life. It gives the player feeling of being in a family,” said Balbir who was the coach of the Indian team during World Cup in 1971 held at Barcelona. The team had won a silver medal then. On the recent three-year ban on three players including Tejbir Singh, Kamaldeep Singh and Maninder Singh for their unruly and disgraceful behaviour during the Punjab Hockey League final by the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) final, Balbir said that there is a need to discipline the players from Punjab. “Off late there have been a number of incidents wherein players from Punjab were engaged in fights in the field either with the opponents or the umpires. It appears that the discipline has taken a back seat and the spirit of sportsmanship gone away,” said Balbir, three-time Olympic gold medallist. The trio was banned from taking part in any international and domestic tournament during the period. They were also permanently debarred from participating in the PHL.
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‘Thorpedo’ in dope net?
Melbourne, March 31 French sports newspaper L’Equipe reported on its website yesterday that Thorpe, who retired from swimming last November, provided a sample that showed abnormally high readings for testosterone and luteinising hormone. According to the report, the Australian Sport Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) was aware of the results but chose not to proceed because of a lack of evidence. FINA, world swimming’s governing body, issued a statement during the world swimming championships saying it had lodged an appeal with CAS seeking clarification of the issues surrounding the case. “The FINA Doping Control Review Board (DCRB), consisting of experts on doping issues and directors of several WADA approved laboratories, considered the findings of this sample as an adverse analytical result,” FINA said. “Based on their professional expertise and recommendation, and according to FINA rules, an appeal has been lodged to CAS with the aim of clarifying the issues surrounding this case. “On the tests conducted by a National Anti-Doping Agency or National Federation, the procedure is that FINA receives the result of the laboratory analysis, which states only the number of the respective sample and not the name of the athlete. “As the matter now rests with CAS. FINA cannot make any further comment on this issue.” FINA president Mustapha Larfaoui had previously scheduled a news conference to discuss the world championships and it was not clear whether he would comment about Thorpe. Thorpe dominated world swimming for eight years, smashing records and accumulating an astonishing tally of Olympic and world titles before he announced his surprise retirement on November 21 last year. “Thorpedo” became one of world sport’s most identifiable stars, making him far more than just a phenomenally-talented Australian swimmer. He is Australia’s most decorated Olympian with five gold medals at the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Games. Thorpe is also the only person to win six gold medals in one world championships at the 2001 event in Fukuoka, Japan, among his overall 11 world championship golds—the most won by any swimmer. He picked up 10 Commonwealth Games gold medals, six of them in Manchester in 2002. Since 1998 he dominated 400m freestyle, winning the event at every Olympic, World, Commonwealth and Pan Pacific championships until taking a post-2004 break. He has also broken 13 individual long-course world records. Before the Sydney Olympics German captain Chris-Carol Bremer made the startling allegation that Thorpe’s “hands and feet are unusually big” due to the use of human growth hormone. The claim was ridiculed as Thorpe was among the most drug-tested competitors in world swimming.
— AFP
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Indians fail to go beyond heats
New Delhi, March 31 Parita won heat number five with a time of 28.69 sec while Mahajan clocked 29.22 sec to come first in heat number four, but they were placed 75th and 87th overall in a field of 136 swimmers to finish outside the semifinal bracket. In men’s 50m backstroke, Sandeep Nagar Anthal (28.50 sec) and Arjun Muralidharan (28.62 sec) stood third and seventh in their respective heats to finish 51st and 52nd in overall, respectively, according to information received here today. Earlier yesterday, Maharashtra swimming prodigy Virdhawal Khade finished second in his heat but failed to qualify for the semifinals in the men’s 50m freestyle. Khade swam 24.06 sec to finish behind David Dunford of Kenya (23.35 sec) in heat number 15 but ended 42nd overall. Another Indian Varun Divgikar clocked 24.53 in heat number 16 to finish sixth and 74th overall in the same event. Fifteen-year-old Khade had earlier qualified for Beijing Olympics in 200m freestyle and later set a national record in 100m freestyle though he failed to make it in the semifinals in both the events. Khade was also part of Indian quartet in men’s 4 X 200m freestyle, which finished last in eight-team heat number four, clocking 8:01.49. The other members were Rehan Poncha, Ankur Poseria and Arjun Muralidharan. In men’s 100m butterfly, Poseria stood third in heat number nine with a time of 55.51 sec but finished 56th overall. In the same event, Muralidhran clocked 57.46 sec to finish seventh in heat number eight and 75th overall. In women’s 50m butterfly, Parita finished second in heat number three, clocking 32.07 but stood 76th overall. In the last day of the competition tomorrow, Poncha will take part in men’s 400m individual medley heat, while Madhavi Giri will compete in women’s 400m individual medley heat.
— UNI
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Jeev, Chopra make cut
Houston, March 31 The 35-year-old Chandigarh golfer added an even par 72 to his first round 73 to be at one-over 145 and tied 68th for 36 holes. Daniel Chopra shot an even par 72 after his first round 68 to be four-under and tied 10th after two rounds. Chopra is two shots off the crowded leaderboard, where six players share the lead at six-under 136. The six are Americans Bob Estes, Jason Gore, D.J Brigman, Jeff Maggert, Bubba Watson and Australia’s Stuart Appleby. Choi Kyung-ju of Korea remained steady when he shot his second straight two-under-par 70 and rose to tied 10th position alongside Chopra. Choi, who had delivered three top-10 finishes on the US PGA Tour this season, continued his impressive run in Texas with three birdies against a lone bogey while Chopra was even-par for the day at the Redstone Golf Club. Parnita Garewal finishes 55th
Kathmandu: A final round of one-over 73 notwithstanding, Feroz Ali managed to sign off at a decent fifth spot in the Surya Nepal Masters at the Gokarna Forest Golf Resort and Spa here today. Feroz finished at the sole fifth position with a total one-over 289. Among the other Indian in the fray Suleiman Ali, who led the field in the opening round, ended 11th with 295 after carding a poor four-over 76 in the final round. Parnita Garewal, the first and the only woman participant in the field, finished at 55th place. Meanwhile, local star Deepak Thapa Magar (73) tallied eight-under 280 to bag the winner’s cheque of Rs 3,24,000. Magar’s win was incidentally the first ever by a Nepalese in the 13-year history of the biggest professional golf tournament in the Himalayan Kingdom. The star of the day was however another Nepalese pro Sabin Sapkota, who returned the best card of the week with a flawless six-under 66 for second place finish at five-under 283. Meanwhile, Rabi Khadka shot a final round of 75 to win the amateur title at a tournament tally of six-over 294.
— PTI
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Phelps collects sixth gold
Melbourne, March 31 Crocker, who led for most of the race before being beaten on the touch to the wall, took the silver in 50.82 after winning the title at the past two championships. Albert Subirats of Venezuela finished third in 51.82. Phelps’s victory provided the 21-year-old with his sixth gold medal in Melbourne, matching Ian Thorpe’s record haul from the 2001 championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
— Reuters
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Churchill hold Mahindras
Margao, March 31 With the draw, Mahindra, who are at the top of table, took their tally to 22 points from 11 matches. Churchill Bros, who drew their seventh match, have collected 13 points from as many matches to move to fifth place. Mahindra, who rested defender Sur Kumar and striker Yusif Yakubu, had the major share of exchanges in the first-half as they dictated the first 15-minutes had the first look at the goal in the 15th minute but Abhishedk Yadav wasted the chance as he shot out off Steven Dias. Steven Dias, who threatened the rival defence with measured crosses from the right, almost scared in the 28th minute when his shot off a free-kick was saved by diving Churchill ‘keeper Vinay, who pushed the ball that deflected off the post and went out for an abortive corner. Mahindra created two chances but Abhishek Yadav first failed to beat Vinay and later headed out from close off a cross by Venkatesh.
— PTI
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