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Beleaguered Gill woos MPs
BCCI to fund five Olympic disciplines
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‘We didn’t play to our potential’
Heroes rout Superstars
New era for Indian cricket: Roebuck
Delhi Daredevils can excel sans Ishant: Sehwag
IPL Auction
Chappell faces protest in Kolkata
England extend lead to 421
Force India to start from back of grid
India Blue, Red to clash for title
DAV College bag cricket trophy
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Beleaguered Gill woos MPs
New Delhi, March 15 A day after more than 100 MPs joined hands to remove the "autocratic" Gill to 'save Indian hockey,' the IHF supremo said he was well aware of the Parliamentarians' concern. On one MP's reported comments that 'electric shock should be given to the system,' Gill said, "IHF is in the process of giving the shock." "We would like and appreciate constructive suggestions by the MPs and others concerned. The Federation will consider such suggestions with great regard," he told. Gill expressed confidence that MPs' inputs would help him revive Indian hockey. "I am sure that Indian hockey will gain by the notice and interest taken by the Members of Parliament," he said. Gill has been under attack after India failed to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in 80 years following their 2-0 defeat to Great Britain in the final of the Olympic qualifiers in Santiago, Chile. Meanwhile, bowing to intense pressure from all quarters following India's failure to qualify for the Olympics, the Indian Hockey Federation is now willing to assign a bigger role to Australian legend Ric Charlesworth who has been called to the capital for a meeting on Monday. Charlesworth, a former captain and one of the hockey greats, was roped in by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to revive Indian hockey but the IHF had kept him way from the senior team, stating that his contract had not been finalised yet. The decision to invite Charlesworth for a meeting has been taken by the Sports Ministry after consultations with IHF chief K P S Gill, a development which is seen as a climbdown for the game's governing body. "The impasse of regularising the appointment of Ric Charlesworth will be finalised at a meeting here on Monday, Sports Ministry sources said here today. "The signing of contract between Charlesworth, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs and the IHF will take place after the meeting", the sources said. The matter has remained unresolved since Charlesworth had not responded to the proposals extended to him four months ago. When contacted for his reaction, IHF chief K P S Gill, told PTI that the matter will be resolved in a few days. 'Yes. The matter will be resolved in a few days' times. Since Charlesworth had not responded, the matter had remained unresolved". "The Ministry officials have been saying as to how they could invite him when he had not even responded to their offer. They said that they cannot get him to visit India unless he sends his response", Gill said. Gill also said that neither the Sports Ministry nor the IHF should be blamed or criticised for the delay since no response had come from Charlesworth. "I have been asked by various people to speak to Sports Ministry officials, who told me that this is the situation. The matter has been pending for a long time. We are getting repeated emails from both Charlesworth and Bob Davidzon of FIH," he said. Gill said the moment Charlesworth sent his response, the Sports Authority of India officials were requested to arrange tickets for him to come to India. Both Gill and Sports Ministry officials hoped that the contract and the financial commitments would be finalised based on the negotiations during the meeting. Charlesworth, meanwhile, confirmed having received a letter from the Sports Ministry to return to India. "I will be there for the meeting. But if there are no changes in the system, there is no point in having me", he said. "The entire process has been delayed and I feel my presence could have been useful in Santiago. The team's preparations for the Olympic qualifiers was inadequate. Preparation is critical for any tournament", he added. — PTI
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BCCI to fund five Olympic disciplines
Mumbai, March 15 Talking to PTI, BCCI chief administrative officer Prof Ratnakar Shetty said the board and the sports ministry were in talks and the modalities were being worked out to ensure effective disbursement of funds and proper accountability. The board has tied up with the ministry to sponsor the development of sportspersons in archery, boxing, judo, swimming and weightlifting. “We will be forming a committee to ensure effective disbursement of funds to the federations for player development and also regarding accountability so that the money is not misused,” Shetty said here today. However, he stated that at present the board would not come to the aid of team sports such as hockey or football - which were in need of funding - as it was concentrating only on individual sports at present.
— PTI |
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‘We didn’t play to our potential’
Ludhiana, March 15 Three players from the losing squad, who are here to participate in the 5th All-India Guru Gobind Singh Gold Cup Hockey Tournament, shared with The Tribune how they were feeling the enormous burden of shame and disgust. They were worried that they have to live with this unpleasant moment for the rest of the life. At the same time, there is burning desire in their hearts to come back from the debacle and be world beaters, "Whenever there will be talk of Indian hockey our names will definitely be mentioned amongst those who brought shame to hockey. You can not even have an iota of what kind of mental trauma we are going through," said a player of the Indian squad, which failed to qualify for the Beijing Olympics. "We do not want to blame anyone for the poor show. All we can say that we did not play up to the level of our expectations,” said Rajpal, Prabhjot and Baldeep. “We were playing well in the tournament and even in the final. We were fully prepared to take on the rivals but I do not know what happened in the last match as we were not able to produce of what was expected from us." "I do not want to blame anyone for our debacle. I do not have any grudge against the umpires nor the coach as I think they have done good job on their part and when any team loses fingers are bound to be raised." With an evident dejection on his face he said, "I admit that we did not play to our potential. I don't think federation is responsible for our defeat." He further added, "No one appreciated the team when they were performing well in the tournament but when we lost final match whole world went against us. I think now we need to close this horrific chapter of Indian and need look ahead for the future tournaments like Commonwealth and hockey World Cup." Indian custodian Baljit Singh said, "It was the darkest day of my life. We were fully prepared and were winning the matches of the tournament with big margins. We were sure that we will able to keep up the tempo even in the most crucial match of the tournament but nothing went out way. It was as humiliating for us similar to the Indian cricket team, who were shown the door in the early stage of the World Cup." |
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TP Singh guides Lions to easy win
Panchkula, March 15 Lions owed their victory to team work. Batting first, most of their top batsmen chipped in with contributions. Defending this total, they were quite agile on the field, effecting two crucial runs-outs, including that of Giants skipper Marvan Atapattu, to romp home convincingly. Player-of-the-Match TP Singh, who seems to be relishing this format of the game and had a successful outing in the inaugural tournament also in November here, was in fine nick. He reasserted his utility as a good all- round player. Batting one-down, he contributed a breezy 38, the highest individual score from either side in the match. In the later stages of the game, he hastened the Giants collapse, claiming two wickets. Lions’ victory was based on a confident start provided by openers Lou Vincent and Matthew Elliot. Vincent meant business from the word go, scoring a 16-ball 20 studded with three fours and a six before he was bowled by former South African player Dale Benkenstein. Initially circumspect, Elliot later opened up to contribute a run-a-ball 35. The platform provided was good enough for the later-order batsmen to capitalise on. TP Singh and Elliot then shared a 44-run stand to keep the run rate going. TP took off from where Vincent left off. Into the groove straightway, he maintained the momentum by some sensible batting before being castled be New Zealand’s Shane Bond, his first wicket in the tournament. Mongia and Manish Sharma disappointed, but a late flourish by Chetan Sharma took the score near the 150-run mark. Chetan looked a man in a hurry and slammed a nine-ball 21 before being run out. A lusty six by diminutive Sarabjit Singh in the end ensured that the team total crossed the psychological 150-run barrier. Chasing this total, Giants were never in the game. They lost an early wicket of hard-hitting Avishka Gunawardene in the second over. The other opener, Monish Sharma, was back in the pavilion in the fourth over with just 20 on the board. Abbas Ali, in such a fine nick in the previous match, soon followed them to the pavilion, being run out after hitting a sole boundary. Atapattu and Abhinav Bali revived the hopes with some sensible batting. Atapattu looked determined, but an agile Vincent cut short his stay, effecting a run-out when he had made 29. TP Sudhindra and Bali, the highest scorer from the side, departed in quick succession to leave the innings tottering at 88 for 6 in 13.3 overs. The mounting pressure proved too much for the tailenders. TP Singh again got into the act, evicting JP Yadav and Benkenstein in the same over and Tuffey dislodged Ali Murtaza’s leg-stump bails off an awkward full toss to signal the end of the Giants innings. Stand-in skipper Andrew Hall - he led the team in the absence of Chris Cairns - looked relieved and said it was nice to have a victory under the belt. Scoreboard Delhi Giants Player of the match TP Singh (Chandigarh Lions)
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Heroes rout Superstars
Hyderabad, March 15 Put in to bat, the Superstars made 152 for 7. Aussie Ian Harvey top-scored with 49 (off 37 balls), while Hemang Badani remained unbeaten on 33 (18 balls). Pakistan’s Abdul Razzaq and South Africa’s Justin Kemp took two wickets each for the Heroes. The hosts reached the target in 19.1 overs for the loss of three wickets. They were reduced to 53 for 3 at one stage, but an unbeaten 103-run stand between Kemp (66 n.o. off 42 balls) and compatriot Nicky Boje (61 n.o. off 52 balls) saw them through. Kemp and Boje were declared the Player (s) of the Match.
— Agencies |
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New era for Indian cricket: Roebuck
New Delhi, March 15 "The first major stage was Sunil Gavaskar. He was seen as the voice of protest, 'we will do it the Indian way.' The next stage was Sachin Tendulkar, 'I am comfortable with what I am.' He is a great player who is graceful as well. "The third phase was in Sydney (Test) with Dhoni, (Irfan) Pathan, Ishant (Sharma) and such people, who came from villages, backyards and outstations," Roebuck said at the India Today Conclave here.
— PTI |
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Delhi Daredevils can excel sans Ishant: Sehwag
New Delhi, March 15 Though the Daredevils were keen to have Indian pace spearhead Ishant Sharma in the team, the amount that was bid on Ishant was beyond the budget of their franchise, GMR Sports. “Our combination is good. We have a well-balanced young team,” said Sehwag at a media interaction with some of the Daredevils’ players here today. Sehwag said he was constantly in touch with the “mentor” and chief selector of Daredevils, T.A. Sekhar, about the team composition and the kind of players they wanted, while he was touring with the Indian team in Australia. “We didn’t want any superstars. I am pretty happy with the Delhi boys. Whatever we wanted, we have got. I want players who cooperate with me, who would give off their 100 per cent on the field,” Sehwag explained. He conceded that not getting Ishant was a setback, but still, he had no complaints as the kind of Indian and eight foreign players selected for the Daredevils meet the requirements of the team. “Our plan is to play two fast bowlers and one spinner in every match,” Sehwag said. He said the 40-odd-day tournament would provide exciting fare and the load of two or three matches in a week would not be burdensome for the players. He said there were enough players to choose from so that those who got tired could be rested. “We will have a fitness chart of the players so that we field the fittest players in every match,” he said. With players like Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik, Manoj Tiwari, Rohit Mishra, Amit Mishra, Pakistan’s Mohammad Asif and New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori making up the Daredevils’ team, Sehwag has been given a team of youth plus experience. With only four foreign players allowed to be fielded in a match, Sehwag can mix and match his combination to suit the situation and rest the tired limbs. Daredevils would also be recruiting another five to six young players from Delhi to give all-round strength to the team. Sehwag said Daredevils’ strength was “a well-balanced combination, we have some good fast bowlers from overseas, have spinners, some good domestic players, but not stars, and the fielding department is good too.” Sehwag, though feeling happy for Ishant for getting a million-dollar bid from Shahrukh Khan’s Kolkata team, said Delhi could not have afforded the Delhi pacer. For, had Ishant been roped in for a very high fee, then the “icon”, in this case Sehwag himself, would have had to be given 15 per cent more, which the GMR did not want to splurge, not that money was much of a problem for the franchise. “I am proud to be associated with the Daredevils. We have a very young team and they will get valuable guidance from the great Glenn McGrath and Sekhar. I seek the support of Delhiites for Daredevils’ success,” Sehwag added. With Hero Honda joining Daredevils as the lead sponsors and Adidas and Kingfisher as co-sponsors, money has already started pouring in. GMR Sports, however, were very keen to have Sehwag as the “icon”, at the player’s request, from the very beginning and they even approached Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and BCCI president Sharad Pawar to ensure that Delhi got Sehwag. “Being a Delhiite, I was very keen to play for the Delhi team, and hence I requested the GMR top brass to ensure my selection,” Sehwag disclosed. The Daredevils’ matches will be played at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground. The hosts take on Team Jaipur in their opening match on April 19, then travel to Hyderabad to meet Deccan Chronicle (April 22), play against the Punjab team at Mohali on April 27 and face Bangalore at the Kotla on April 30. The Daredevils will have their other away matches in Chennai on May 2 and Mumbai on May 5.
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IPL Auction
New Delhi, March 15 Gilchrist admitted that his name being auctioned was an unusual experience for him and he would wait and watch what the IPL had in store for the players. "There was a little element of feeling like a cow. But it's interesting and unique. There is a slight uneasiness. But let us allow it to settle down," Gilchrist said at the 'India Today' conclave here today. Gilchrist, who was bought by the Hyderabad franchise of IPL, said playing for an unfamiliar team was not an issue with him as he had switched sides in domestic cricket in Australia. "I was born and bred in New South Wales. But I had to shift to Western Australia from where I got into the Australian team. IPL has financial benefits and it's only about six weeks," he said. Former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi, however, criticised the IPL, saying it's run on "OPI and OPM." "I call the IPL a zig, what else you call it. It's run on OPI (Other People's Intelligence) and OPM (Other People's Money). Some deservingly and some undeservingly becoming millionaires." He hit out at the process of players going under the hammer, saying "it was like cattle auction." "You auction defunct machinery, dilapidated building and cattle. Not fit and strong players," he said. — PTI
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Chappell faces protest in Kolkata
Kolkata, March 15 Chappell, the director of the Cricket Star and Rajasthan Cricket Academy, here on a talent hunt launched by 'Emerging Media', the owners of the Jaipur IPL team Rajasthan Royals, ironically chose a young protege of Ganguly's cricket academy. Chappell faced the demonstration after emerging from a cricket coaching centre in south Kolkata, where he had gone amidst tight security. The demonstrators, all from Ganguly's neighbourhood, carried posters 'Go back Chappell' and 'Chappell quit city' and shouted slogans. "He conspired against
Sourav. We don't want him here. Our protest is as much against him as against those who have brought him here," said one of the demonstrators.
— PTI |
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Wellington, March 15 The margin is already ahead of the current record winning fourth-innings total in the history of Test cricket of 418. When Paul Collingwood fell in the final over of the day, England did not immediately declare, indicating they want to milk the fourth morning for as many more runs as possible before the last wicket falls. Collingwood posted his second half-century of the match reaching 59 before he went leg before wicket to Mark Gillespie. He scored 65 in the first innings where he featured in a 164-run stand for the sixth wicket with Tim Ambrose in what has become the match-turning partnership. Alastair Cook’s 60, 44 from Andrew Strauss and 41 from Ian Bell were the only other notable performances in the second innings. — AFP
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Force India to start from back of grid
Melbourne, March 15 Fisichella will start 17th in this year’s season opener tomorrow, while his younger German colleague Sutil will be 19th on the grid - with the team’s hopes of securing a point now depending more on extraordinary circumstances than performance. At the top, McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton won the pole position after warding off a strong challenge from BMW’s Robert Kubica, who briefly took the lead before the Briton outpaced him in the third and final qualifying session. Fisichella had reason to be frustrated after he failed to reproduce the form that saw him hovering around the top 10 in the three practice sessions. Ironically, just when it mattered most, the Roman clocked 1:26.140 to finish 17th among 22 drivers and hurtle to the back of the grid. Though he was running fever since yesterday, which meant he was not in the best of shape, the Italian was on the cusp of achieving the team’s target of making it to the second qualifying round. Also falling by the wayside was Sutil, who spun out on the 12th turn before timing 1:27.859 to be 19th. World champion Kimi Raikkonen clocked an impressive 1:26.140 in the first qualifying session before a fuel pressure regulator problem did not allow him to come out for the second qualifying. He will start 16th tomorrow. Finishing 12th, ninth and ninth again in three practice sessions spread over two days, Fisichella looked impressive behind the wheels of the Ferrari-powered VJM 01. But when he needed it most, things did not fall in place and the same 5.3 km Albert Park circuit, where he won the 2005 Grand Prix as a Renault driver, returned him empty-handed. — PTI
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India Blue, Red to clash for title
Amritsar, March 15 The league match between India Blue and India Red ended in a 1-1 draw today. Bikramjit Singh put India Red ahead in the 15th minute by converting a penalty corner. After the break, India Blue equalised in the 55th minute when Major Singh scored a field goal. India Blue earned two penalty corners (50th and 54th minutes) but both went abegging. In another league match, Pakistan mauled Sri Lanka 26-0. The winners led 17-0 at half-time. Zubair Riaz opened the account for Pakistan in the third minute. The scorers were Zubair (eight), Sultan Ashraf (six), Adnan Aslam (three), Salman and Sahzad Aslam (two each), Sohail, M. Junaid, Zahid Shafiq, Rizawan-ul-Haq and Rehan (one each).
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DAV College bag cricket trophy
Amritsar, March 15 DAV College, Amritsar, stood runners-up, while Hindu College, Amritsar, finished third. Khalsa College, Amritsar, were declared fourth. In the final, DAV, Jalandhar, defeated DAV, Amritsar, by 48 runs. The winners made 231 runs in 38 overs. In reply, DAV, Amritsar, were all out for 183 in 33.3 overs. |
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New Delhi, March 15
New Delhi, March 15
