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Two days, 493 runs
Target achievable, says Harbhajan
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Indian fans complain of racist taunts
Windies extend lead to 359
Kiwis wrap up series
Lawson undecided on return to Pak
Ranji Roundup
Dungarpur elected CCI chief again
PCC backs policy draft
Punjab lose in b’ball final
Ropar Hawks fly into last 4
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Two days, 493 runs
Melbourne, December 28 The fact is Australia in their second innings on an already inconvenient third day pitch continued to accumulate runs at four an over and were yet not bowled out — reaching 351 for seven, in which Harbhajan Singh with three for 101 was India’s most successful bowler. The Australia performance signified that survival was not impossible if you adopted the right technique for the circumstances. But India have left themselves a tall order consequent to their batting collapse in the first venture. On another gloriously sunny day, the mammoth MCG was only one-third full. But Australian supporters got their money’s worth from a twinkle-toed exhibition by Michael Clarke, the man his team-mates have nicknamed “Pup” for his boyish looks. He scored 73. Where others failed to convert their starts into bigger contributions, Clarke’s footwork against the spinners and sharp running between the wickets instilled him with an edge, till, cruising down the wicket once too often, he was easily stumped off an Anil Kumble googly, which he thought would be a leg-spinner. The Brisbane bully, otherwise known as Matthew Hayden, was in occupation when Australia resumed in the morning. Soon, he was into his threatening ways, treating the medium pacers like slow bowlers by battering them against the swing to midwicket and long on. Introduced as first change, Harbhajan, contrary to the first innings, took pace off the ball, which gave him a better chance of beating a batsman in the air. He, then, went around the wicket to toss one up to the muscular left-hander, who was in sight of his half-century. Sure enough, he stepped out to hit it against the spin over long on, but was beaten by the dip in flight. Committed to striking the ball on the up, he only miscued to long-off. And Harbhajan struck again. He surprised the redoubtable Ricky Ponting with a rising top-spinner — the kind of delivery that had made him unplayable in the Kolkata and Chennai Tests against Australia in 2001, as he sensationally devoured 28 wickets. More wickets in the first two sessions might have halted the Aussie charge. But it was not to be. Instead, Andrew Symonds joined Clarke to revive the Australian acceleration in an 82-run stand. The former, a tree trunk-like figure with extended dreadlocks, helped himself to sixes at the expense of Kumble and Harbhajan. But Zaheer Khan, operating with the old ball, reverse swung one into the Queenslander to nip his burgeoning effort in the bud. Earlier, entrusted to contain the runs, RP Singh, enticed the otherwise prolific Mike Hussey into chasing a widish delivery, which was pouched at first slip. This, after Phil Jaques had played too early to Kumble, but not until the opener had registered his second 50 of the match. Adam Gilchrist, too, unloaded with a six to long-on, followed by a reverse sweep off Harbhajan for four. The Chandigarh lad, though, had the last laugh, as the left-hander top-edged a sweep to deep square leg, where RP Singh redeemed himself with a diving catch. The weather is predicted to become oppressively hot over the next two days. This may exhaust the Australian quicks, among whom the unerring Stuart Clark, with his stump to stump off-cutters, poses the principal threat. But the shooting mercury level could also rapidly expand the cracks on the wicket. Scoreboard India (2nd innings)
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Target achievable, says Harbhajan
Melbourne, December 28 In his comments after the third day’s play, he felt with all wickets intact and 180 overs of play over two days, the Indian batsmen should entertain hopes of winning, though it is an uphill task on a pitch which is slow and low. “It is a stiff target but achievable with the kind of batting line-up we have. If we play to our potential, I think anything can happen. This is a good wicket to bat on and I think batsmen are looking forward to go out tomorrow and show some character,” said Harbhajan. “And if we can win, it will help us in the remainder of the series. Whatever happens, we will give our best shot to win this game.” Harbhajan was also of the view that India’s poor batting in the first innings was the difference between the two sides, otherwise we would have had an even chance of pulling it off. “It is a totally different sort of conditions. First of all, we didn’t get much time and side matches to acclimatise. It takes time for players to adjust to these conditions,” he said. The 27-year-old off-spinner also said his 250-wicket feat would give him big boost in the upcoming matches. The off-spinner also added that bowling slow in the second innings on the slow and low MCG pitch did the trick for him. “In the second innings today, I bowled slow and took a lot of time to deliver the ball, compared to the first innings where I was rushing in to bowl,” said Harbhajan. Harbhajan, however, said that there was hardly any assistance from the pitch for the slow bowlers.
— IANS
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Indian fans complain of racist taunts
Melbourne, December 28 A Herald Sun report said Australian supporters shouted “Show us your visas, show us your visas” at the Indian fans, interviewed by their reporters. The visiting fans described the chant as “offensive, ugly and racist”. Even some Australian fans found the chants racist. “That is racist,” a home supporter Heath Robbins was quoted as saying. “It is attacking a person’s country and they should be kicked out of the ground as they should for any offensive behaviour to any other people,” he said. “Everyone feels offended when they are attacked on the basis of their residency or where we came from,” an Indian supporter, who did not wish to be named, was quoted as saying. However, when CA officials and the police investigated the incident at the old Bay 13 section, they did not find any offended fan. CA spokesman Peter Young said no action could be taken against those involved in the chant because it was not reported to the police or security. “The police has confirmed that the chant took place and conducted extensive interviews with both Indian and Australian supporters and they did not find anyone who was offended,” Young said. “But we urge anyone who considers the comments to be racist to report them to police and security staff. Racism is in the eye of the beholder,” he said.
— PTI
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Port Elizabeth, December 28 At close, the West Indies were 146-8 in the second innings after dismissing South Africa for 195, with medium-pacer Dwayne Bravo taking four for 24. The West Indies made 408 in their first innings. AB de Villiers top-scored for South Africa with a gritty 59 in more than three hours in which he faced 127 balls and struck nine fours. South Africa slipped to 129-6 with the 16th ball of the day’s play when Mark Boucher (20) hooked into the hands of Daren Powell at fine-leg to secure fast bowler Jerome Taylor’s third wicket. De Villiers and Paul Harris stood firm for 18.1 overs in a stand of 43. The partnership was ended in the fifth over before lunch when De Villiers was squared up by a delivery from Bravo which went on to uproot his off-stump. Four overs later, Harris, who faced 67 balls for his nine, scooped a drive off Bravo and was caught by Taylor at mid-off. Bravo had Andre Nel caught by Daren Ganga at mid-on for 16 with the third ball after lunch, and in Bravo’s next over Dale Steyn hooked a catch to Powell at fine leg to go for seven. In the West Indies second innings, Chris Gayle hit five fours and a six in his 29 before edging a delivery that Makhaya Ntini angled across him to wicketkeeper Boucher. Ganga (45) and Marlon Samuels (40) added 65 for the third wicket. Ganga was run out by Herschelle Gibbs, while Samuels was bowled by Steyn. Steyn took 3-53, while Harris had figures of 2-20.
— Reuters
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Kiwis wrap up series
Wellington, December 28 New Zealand had scored 335 for five in 50 overs, with Peter Fulton top-scoring with 83, before rain forced the players from the field after the 43rd over of Bangladesh’s innings. The visitors had reached 181-6 when umpires Peter Parker and Tony Hill called the game off. Aftab Ahmed top-scored with 54, while opener Tamim Iqbal scored 43. New Zealand’s Kyle Mills had figures of 4-40 off 10 overs. Fulton was ably supported by Jamie How, who followed his 88 in the first match on Wednesday by scoring 74. All-rounder Jacob Oram blasted four boundaries and four sixes in scoring 55 off 31 balls. The final match is in Queenstown on December 31.
— Reuters
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Sandeep fashions Dynamos’ win
Chandigarh, December 28 Had the winners not missed several chances, the margin could have been bigger. Drag-flicker Sandeep wasted seven penalty corners out of the nine earned by his team, with two of his flicks ricocheting off the poles of the post. Lack of coordination was evident between forwards Prabhjot Singh and Deepak Thakur as many good moves went abegging. On the other hand, Sarvanjit Singh, Mandeep Singh and Gurvinder Singh Chandi of the Jalandhar team gave an impressive performance. The trio combined well with Jarnail Singh. Enjoying equal support from the substantial crowd, the match got off on a fast note. The Shers drew first blood in the seventh minute. Gurvinder Singh Chandi missed his shot from the top of circle but the ball rolled to Jarnail positioned in front of goalmouth. He struck the board with a powerful reverse shot. The Dynamos got the equaliser in the 52nd minute when Sandeep’s drag-flick found the net, even though the Shers argued with the umpire for giving the penalty corner ‘wrongly’. Sandeep bulged the net again with a superb drag-flick in the 67th minute. Dynamos centre half Ghazanfar Ali was named the man of the match.
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Lawson undecided on return to Pak
Melbourne, December 28 “I’m making informal investigations with people I know in Pakistan to get their opinions. I’ve sent a few emails this morning just to people I know in Pakistan in different areas to get their opinions,” Lawson was quoted in a report by Australian Associated Press (AAP), a news agency here today. “I’m very open (to what they say) and I’m more likely to take into account what they’ve got to say rather than any officials. I’m just seeking advice, I’m not pre-judging anything,” he added. Lawson was appointed just five months ago on a two-year contract after the death of Bob Woolmer during the World Cup. — PTI
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Ranji Roundup
Chennai, December 28 Delhi managed to overhaul Mumbai and qualify as the second team from the group for the knockout stage as they reached the target of 105 for the loss of two wickets. Delhi resumed their second innings at 10 without loss. Akash Chopra (17) and Gautam Gambhir (40) were the two batsmen to be dismissed today. Mithun Manhas (31 n.o.) and Shikhar Dhawan (14 n.o.) steered Delhi to an easy win. Delhi, who had 18 points, on a par with reigning champions Mumbai when they came into this match, completed their engagements with a tally of 23 points. Brief scores: Tamil Nadu: 268 and 174, Delhi: 338 and 105 for 2. Mumbai: Saurashtra entered the semifinals of the Ranji Trophy Super League for the first time after they got three points by virtue of their first-innings lead over Mumbai in the drawn Group A encounter here on Friday. Medium pacer Sandeep Jobanputra took 5-116 to stop 37-time champions Mumbai at 463 after Saurashtra had posted 484 runs. Mumbai squandered a great fightback through a 299-run partnership for the third wicket between Ajinkya Rahane (149) and Amol Muzumdar (187). In the semifinals, Saurashtra will meet Uttar Pradesh at Vadodara from January 5-9, while simultaneously at Indore, Delhi would take on Baroda. The final will be held from January 16-20. Brief scores: Saurashtra: 484; Mumbai: 463.
— Agencies
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Dungarpur elected CCI chief again
Mumbai, December 28 Dungarpur’s elevation as president of the BCCI’s affiliate, a post he had occupied for 13 years before resigning in September this year, came at the meeting of its newly elected executive committee here. Dungarpur was earlier suspended by the previous executive committee headed by IM Kadri for two years before the decision was revoked at a special general body meeting yesterday to pave the way for his return to the helm of the CCI for a fresh term. After the lifting of his suspension, Dungarpur was yesterday co-opted into the committee which met today.
— PTI
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PCC backs policy draft
New Delhi, December 28 The meeting of the PCC, attached to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Panchayati Raj and Development of North-Eastern Region, was held under the chairmanship of sports minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, to have a presentation of the comprehensive policy, highlighting the broad objectives of “Sports for all, excellence in sports and contingent constitutional, legal and institutional measures to operationalise the policy”. The PCC members suggested that “strong initiatives” needed to be taken at the village and panchayat levels and primary schools should be involved in a big way for the success of the scheme. The PCC members gave the thumbs up to Aiyar’s bid to bring order and discipline in Indian sports through the policy. Aiyar briefed the PCC members that the policy would be put before the Cabinet for approval next month.
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Punjab lose in b’ball final
Puducherry, December 28 This is the 27th time Services have won the national men’s title. Sambhaji Kadam was the mainstay for the winners and he was ably assisted by Jayaram Jat, Sweeto Francis and SM Settu. Earlier, Railways claimed the women’s title for the 21st time in 23 final appearances, including the fifth time in a row, defeating Delhi 95-74. Railways and Delhi have been regular finalists and the former, after having been beaten by the latter in 2003, have retained the title since. Apart from that loss to Delhi, Railways, who won the title for the first time in 1984, have in between lost only once, to Punjab in the 1987 final in Thiruvanathapuram.
— PTI
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Ropar Hawks fly into last 4
Nabha, December 28 The other teams to make the last-four grade were EME, Jalandhar, who beat Sports Hostel, Lucknow, 2-1, BSF who grounded Air Force 2-1 and Punjab Police, who scraped past PSB Academy 2-1. The Hawks continued their impressive run in the tournament. They took the lead when Balwinder Singh’s shot kissed the horizontal before rolling into the goal. The armymen got several penalty corners but Hawks custodian Ramandeep Singh proved equal to the task. Hawks made it 2-0 when centre half Varinder Singh drew out the goalie before putting the ball into the goal.
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Melbourne, December 28
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