The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	‘Pullout threat real’ Melbourne, January 11 The BCCI chief Sharad Pawar has said the threat of India pulling out of the cricket tour of Australia was real if the ban on spinner Harbhajan Singh was not lifted. "Let's see what happens, but allegations of racism against a member of our cricket team are not acceptable. After the meeting, we then will take action," he was quoted as saying in 'The Hearld Sun'. Pawar confirmed that he has been empowered by the Board to decide on the matter. "That is true but I will only use the power in support of Harbhajan for the rest of the country," he said. "There will be an (ICC) committee hearing. We are confident that in the hearing he will be cleared," he added. An ICC spokesman has said the hearing into Harbhajan's appeal will take longer than the stipulated seven days. "It should be held within seven days of a Commissioner being appointed but that can be extended," he said. New Zealand's High Court judge John Hansen has been appointed the Appeals Commissioner for the hearing. Harbhajan was slapped a three-Test ban for allegedly racially abusing Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds outraging the Indian players and Board, who had threatened to abandon the tour after the controversial second Test in Sydney, marred by poor umpiring by Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson. The ICC stepped in to diffuse the explosive situation by removing Bucknor from umpiring duties for the rest of the series. It also appointed Chief Referee Ranjan Madugalle as a facilitator for the third Test in Perth to ease the tension between the two sides. The BCCI's working committee, which had met for an emergency meeting in Delhi on January 8, had authorised President Pawar to take all possible steps at his command and deploy all human and material resources available to get Harbhajan cleared of the "obnoxious and baseless" accusation. The working committee had also authorised the President and office bearers to take all appropriate decisions and exercise all available options in dealing with the situation emerging during the course of the hearing. — PTI
	Sourav lauds Aussie attitude Canberra, January 11 Former India captain Sourav Ganguly today said the two on-field umpires could have performed better in the controversial Sydney Test and Mark Benson should have consulted Steve Bucknor before giving him out caught by Michael Clark. Ganguly, during the second day of the warm-up game against the ACT XI, told Star cricket ''I thought he [Benson] could have done a better job speaking to Steve Bucknor.'' The decision by Benson, however, proved to be crucial in the end as Ganguly who was looking good became another victim of the dubious umpiring in the match. India, eventually lost the match by 122 runs. ''The moment I nicked it I turned back and saw it didn't carry. But that's the way is. It was agreed to stick by the captain's word and we have to stay with that,'' he said. He added the fielder's word can be considered but umpires have a responsibility at their hands and should not take it as the final decision. ''If it's a decision by the captains then I think in modern day cricket it's fine. But the umpires have a responsibility too. You can leave it to the fielders but the umpires have to make a judgement. I think the umpires should interfere if they feel it's a 50-50.'' Despite so many controversies surrounding the series and Ponting's side receiving criticisms from various quarters, Ganguly praised Australia's attitude of win at all costs. ''Sometimes things happen at the heat of the moment. But I also admired how desperate they were to win. That's not a bad thing in sport. Some decisions didn't go our way. It hurt us. On the other side, it showed why they win so many Test matches,'' Ganguly added. The Prince of Kolkata maintained that another tour game would have helped India and Perth will be the true test for the team. ''It's a happy team. We had a good year before this series. I spoke to the Indian board and said one warm-up was not enough. ''We should have had two. We had the Pakistan home series so it was difficult to fit in another game.'' — UNI
	ICC declines to comment New Delhi, January 11 The International Cricket Council today declined to make any comments on BCCI chief Sharad Pawar's threat to call off the Indian cricket team's tour of Australia if the ban on Harbhajan Singh was not revoked. "We have no comments. All we can say is that there is a process and it will take its natural course", an ICC spokesman told PTI from Dubai. The ICC has still not fixed a date for the hearing of Harbhajan's appeal but it was likely to take longer than the stipulated seven days. The ICC rules state that the hearing should be held within seven days of a Commissioner being appointed but that can be extended if the circumstances demand. — PTI
	It’s childish, say Kiwi players Wellington, January 11 Former New Zealand players have lambasted the Australians for having "double standards" on sledging and said they should be ashamed of their "gutless and churlish" charge of racial abuse against Harbhajan Singh. Launching a scathing attack on their trans-Tasmanian neighbours, the players - John Morrison, Dipak Patel and Simon Doull - said the the Australians were themselves so foul-mouthed that they had no moral right to complain about others. Morrison, who played for New Zealand in the 1970s and 80s, said, "They've basically run off to tell the teacher on Harbhajan Singh." "If the Aussies have any conscience at all, surely they'd be ashamed over this because it's just gutless, it's churlish, it's childish - the sort of thing you'd see in a playground," he was quoted as saying in the 'Dominican Post'. "A lot of good cricket people around the world will not like what's happened here," he added. Former captain Stephen Fleming said the matter, which looked a bit "schoolboyish" initially, became a mess because of lack of independent evidence. "The Harbhajan aspect is interesting. It sounds like there is a case there to be answered, it's the player's word against another - without the match officials it's very messy," Fleming was quoted as saying by the NZPA. "It does look a little bit schoolboyish, though the racial issue does cause concern for a lot of players. There's been a big push to stamp it out," he added. Patel, meanwhile, felt the Aussies have dished far worse of their "mental disintegration" to act so sensitive on Harbhajan. "I'm not saying that he (Harbhajan) is not guilty but there's been a lot worse said by Australians in the past to other opposition," Patel said. "What happens on the park should stay on the park. I've been called a lot worse than a monkey, to be honest with you, and it's just something that you accept and it's left on the field," Patel opined. Doull, a former fast bowler, felt the case against Harbhajan hardly stands in the absence of any independent evidence. "From my point of view the match referee is there to do a job. If the umpires or the match referee haven't seen it or heard it, there's no case at all to answer," he said. "Did Ponting go in front of a committee for nicking one down legside and not walking and then showing dissent when he nicks one on to his pads and gets given out lbw?" he asked. — PTI
	‘Bouncy WACA will test batsmen’ Canberra, January 11 Visiting Indians have been warned that they would struggle to last five days at the WACA pitch in the third Test at Perth, starting January 16. "I would hate to face the Australian quicks on that sort of wicket," said Chris Rogers, who is tipped to replace the injured Matthew Hayden as opener for the next Test. Rogers, who indicated he was ready for the job with a confident half-century in the tour match here today, said it was difficult for guys at the top of the order to face the Aussie attack on a really quick wicket. "My best at WACA has been 60 this season and I belong to Western Australia," remarked Rogers "The ball really flies through after the first day." The left-handed opener said because of the moisture on the first day, the pitch is not as hard as it usually becomes on subsequent days. "You really have to play your best innings ever to survive on the WACA this season," opined the 31-year-old Rogers, who has an average of 47.93 in 104 first class games with 22 centuries. "I would be surprised if the game goes into the fifth day." His words would be a warning for the Indians, who are 0-2 down in the series and need a win in Perth to remain in the series. Rogers believed spinners have no role to play in WACA this year. "Kumble because of his style could make use of the WACA pitch but otherwise, spinners haven't got much help." He rated Irfan Pathan as the bowler who could get good help from the WACA surface though he wondered who amongst the tourists would be asked to bowl into the wind from the other end. "Pathan swung a good deal here and at WACA, when the Freemantle Doctor is blowing, he could be a huge factor. "Ishant Sharma was also impressive here because he hit the deck hard as was VRV Singh who appears to have huge potential. But it would be interesting to see who bowls into the wind for the Indians. It's such a huge factor at WACA," he said. — PTI
	SA tighten grip Smith, Prince, De Villiers hit tons Durban, January 11 South Africa build a huge first-innings lead of 417 on the second day of the third Test against West Indies today. The hosts declared after tea at 556 for 4, with Ashwell Prince and AB de Villiers hitting unbeaten centuries. In the second innings, West Indies were 23 without loss. Earlier, South Africa were propped up by Graeme Smith’s 147, a sturdy 69 by Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis’ bustling 74. Smith and Amla resumed on 213-1, and a cloudless skies denied the West Indian bowlers the overcast conditions that had made their South African counterparts a rasping threat on the first day when the tourists were bowled out for 139. Medium pacer Darren Sammy struck in the ninth over of the day when Amla tried to work a delivery to the leg side and instead steered a catch to Dwayne Bravo at silly mid-off. Six balls later, Jerome Taylor had Smith caught behind by wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, who dived in front of first slip to end an innings of four hours in which Smith faced 165 balls and hit 27 fours. Scoreboard West Indies (1st innings) 139 South Africa (1st innings) Smith c Ramdin b Taylor 147 Gibbs b Powell 27 Amla c Bravo b Sammy 69 Kallis c Morton b Samuels 74 Prince not out 123 De Villiers not out 103 Extras (b-6, lb-7) 13 Total (4 wkts dec, 120 overs) 556 Fall of wickets: 1-53, 2-252, 3-252, 4-374. Bowling: Powell 26-1-128-1, Edwards 23-0-129-0, Taylor 25-3-92-1, Sammy 25-4-104-1, Samuels 21-0-90-1. West Indies (2nd innings) Ganga not out 6 Parchment not out 17 Total (no loss, 11 overs) 23 Bowling: Steyn 6-3-15-0, Ntini 4-2-5-0, Pollock 1-0-3-0. — Reuters
	Pollock retires Durban, January 11 South African all-rounder Shaun Pollock announced his imminent retirement from international cricket today. Pollock, 34, said the current third Test against West Indies, his 108th, would be his last. Pollock, who made his Test debut against England at Centurion in 1995, was left out of the first six Tests South Africa played this season. He returned to take 4-35 in the first innings of the third Test. “A few people have made me offers, but I haven’t decided anything yet,” Pollock told a news conference. — Reuters
	ICL plans all-star Pak team Karachi, January 11 The rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) is planning to add an all-star Pakistani side to its list of competitors for the second edition scheduled in March-April. After hosting its inaugural twenty20 tournament last year, the breakaway league is considering adding two more teams with one of them being an all stars side from Pakistan. "There has been discussion on having either a Karachi or Lahore team from Pakistan take part in the next event along with an all stars ICL eleven," former Pakistan skipper Moin Khan, who is ICL's main representative in Pakistan and also on their coaching panel, said. Pakistan had six representatives in the ICL's inaugural edition with pacer Shabbir Ahmed getting Man of the Match award in the final. — PTI
	Oval Test Pak asks ICC to change result Karachi, January 11 Pakistan has asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to change the official result of the Oval Test against England in 2006. England were declared winners after Pakistan forfeited the match on the fourth day in protest over umpire Darrell Hair's decision to penalise them for alleged ball tampering. It was the first forfeited result in Test history. ''We have moved the application on the basis of the ICC dropping the ball-tampering charges against our team,'' said the official, who did not want to be named. — Reuters
	Hi-Fliers bag PHL title Akash Ghai Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 11 Bangalore Hi-Fliers, winners of the 2006 edition of the Premier Hockey League, did it again at the Sector 42 Hockey Stadium here today. The failure to providing finishing touches to good moves cost local favourites Chandigarh Dynamos the title as they lost 1-2 to the Hi-Fliers in in the third final of the PHL’s fourth edition. The Hi-Fliers put up a refined game, with better stick work and stylish coordination, to clinch the glittering trophy along with the cash award of Rs 40 lakh. The Fliers also bagged the Fair Play Award (Rs 1.5 lakh), while Bharath Kumar Chettri and Arjun Halappa were declared the Man of the Match (Rs 15,000) and Man of the Tournament (Rs 1,50,000), respectively. Runners-up Dynamos received Rs 20 lakh and Sandeep Singh got Rs 1 lakh as the highest goal scorer in the tournament (nine goals). Losing semifinalists Hyderabad Sultans and Orissa Steelers won Rs 5 lakh each. Earlier, the Dynamos forward line again failed to deliver. Lack of planning, coordination and poor performance in striking circle was evident as Deepak Thakur, Inderjit Chadha and skipper Rajpal Singh squandered many a golden chance. In the barren first quarter, both teams played cautiously. The first Hi-Fliers’ attack went abegging, as Sunil could not provide proper push into the rival’s post off a Tushar Khandekar pass. In fact, Tushar’s shot was going into the net when Sunil, in trying to give direction to the ball, instead deflected it away. In the 17th minute, Tushar’s hit was stopped by goalie Baljit Singh. Along with Tushar and Hari Prasad, Arjun Halappa played a key role in the win. Custodian Bharath Kumar stopped two shots by Rajpal Singh and dived to his right to clear a Deepak Thakur shot. The first goal for the Hi-Fliers came in the 32nd minute when Len Aiyappa’s drag-flick sailed into the net off their first penalty corner. Bangalore doubled the margin in the 62nd minute when Halappa scooped to beat two defenders on the right flank and put Hari Prasad in possession to the right of the circle. Hari’s cross was latched on to by You Hyo-Sik and he netted the ball. In the dying seconds, Dynamos earned their third and last short corner and Sandeep Singh reduced the margin (1-2). Incidentally, in 2006, too, the Hi-Fliers’ had beaten Dynamos 2-1 in the finals.
	Sania upset over flag row: Bhupathi Melbourne, January 11 Sania Mirza is “upset” over accusations that she disrespected the Tricolour and is giving a serious thought to whether she should continue with her tennis career as she frequently finds herself entangled in one controversy or the other. “She is very upset. It is a major issue for her. At the end of the day, she is a 21-year-old girl trying to do her best,” Mahesh Bhupathi, India’s doubles ace and her manager, was quoted as saying by The Australian. Sania was recently embroiled in a controversy over the shooting of a commercial on the premises of the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad and tendered an apology in the matter. Close on its heels comes the legal case filed against her by a Bhopal resident for allegedly showing disrespect to the Tricolour. Faces wildcard in first round Sania, seeded 31st for the Australian Open, would open her campaign against Uzbek wildcard Iroda Tulyaganova, who is ranked 317th on the WTA charts. — PTI
	Force India can do well: Fisichella Mumbai, January 11 An impressive drivers’ line-up and a decent budget convince Force India’s Italian recruit Giancarlo Fisichella that the team has the wherewithal to evolve into a strong midfield outfit. Fisichella said the team would have a tough time initially but the key was not to bother and keep improving.” rung team,” he said. With Vijay Mallya, along with Mol family, taking over Spykar and rechristening it Force India, the team has been handed an annual budget of $120 million, compared to last year’s $70 million. — PTI
	Ahbab Club enter semis Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 11 Ahbab Club stunned defending champions Indian Air Force, New Delhi, 1-0 to qualify for the semifinal from Group B in the Delhi Soccer Association Senior Division Football League at the Ambedkar Stadium today. In a closely fought tie, Ahbab got the match-winner through medio Subhash Negi.
	Marion Jones jailed New York: Disgraced Olympic sprinter Marion Jones was sentenced to six months in prison on Friday for lying to federal prosecutors about her steroid use. US District Court judge Kenneth Karas imposed the sentence after Jones pleaded guilty to two charges last October, part of a stunning fall of the five-time medallist from the 2000 Sydney Olympics. — Reuters