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We’ll attack bowlers: Boucher
Showers mar practice
‘I will play my natural game’
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Appeal to ULFA: ACA secy in soup
Anand loses, slips to joint 4th
Thushara rocks West Indies
Strauss, Bell thwart Kiwis
Giants down Heroes by 7 runs
Digvijay tied 37th
Jeev tied 27th
Angry fans burn Gill's effigy
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Chennai, March 24 Addressing the media after a nearly three-hour-long practice session at the M A Chidambaram Stadium ahead of the first Test starting here on March 26, he said, ''In a Test match, you have to get a mix of defence and attack. ''If the time comes, we will attack the Indian bowling a little bit more to put pressure on Indian bowlers. We got to do it to get ourselves in good position ''We are not worried much about the conditions here. We have got good fast bowlers and spinners like Paul Harris,'' Boucher said. ''We have already played in these type of conditions in Bangladesh before the tour of India. Moreover, we have good young players with back up from seniors in the team. We are looking forward to the day one of the Test match,'' he added. To a question on whether team discussed about sledging in the wake of ICC coming out strongly against it, Boucher said ''We have not discussed anything about that. We are all matured enough to know what to do on the cricket field. ''As long as we keep everything under limits there is no problem,'' he said. Replying to a question, Boucher said his team was not worried about the presence of Gary Kirsten as the coach and Paddy Upton as support member of the Indian team. ''We are not really worried what they discuss,'' he said adding ''it is the game of cricket that matters more.'' South Africa strike bowler Dale Steyn said he would be under no pressure as he has a good back-up in bowlers like Nitini and Paul Harris. ''We will go through the video analysis and bowl to the weakness of the Indian batsmen,'' he said. Steyn also said he doesn't mind bowling longer spells despite humid conditions in Chennai. Pointing out the success of Shaun Pollock and Glenn McGrath, he said ''it is the way how your bowl than the speed.'' Leading South Africa batsman H M Amla said spinners would play a major role in the series. ''We have prepared quite well and we will take them accordingly'', he added. —UNI
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Chennai, March 24 The visiting South Africans were lucky in completing their net practice without any rain hindrance today, but the Indians were deprived of their full quota of 150 minutes with about 30 minutes being chopped off from their schedule following the sudden showers. The city had been experiencing unseasonal rains since the last few days barring yesterday when the ground staff worked in full swing and continued with their preparation of the pitch. With the weathermen forecasting showers or thundershowers until Wednesday morning, the first day of the match, TNCA officials are keeping their fingers crossed and special poojas are being held in a nearby Lord Venkateswara temple. Matches being washed out or curtailed due to rains has rather become a regular feature in recent years in the city. The last time when South Africa came here for a ODI match in 2005, it was called off without a ball being bowled. — PTI
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Chennai, March 24 Talking to reporters after a two-hour long gruelling practice session at the M A Chidambaram stadium here this evening, he, however, said he would have a good look at the wicket, see of the first hour and then play his natural game. ''I will have a look at the pitch, wait for the first 10 to 15 overs and then play my natural explosive game,'' Sehwag, who had scored a century in his debut match against the Proteas under seaming conditions at Bloemfontein in 2001, said. ''I have been preparing well for this series and I am in a good frame of mind to do well against South Africa,'' he said. The Hero of Multan, where he became the only Indian to score a triple hundred against Pakistan in 2001, has been in and out of the side. But his performance against the Aussies has won him a place in the side. ''After getting dropped, especially in the Test matches, for the last 12 months, I worked on my shortcomings and came back fighting harder.'' The 27-year-old Sehwag also admitted that he had committed certain mistakes in previous Tests by trying to dominate from the very first ball. ''Now, I had learnt to stay on the wicket for a while and take chance once I get settled down,'' he said, adding ''Try to survive the first hour and then go for shots. He also pointed out that playing in India especially in front of the home crowd would help him to regain his form better. ''Playing in India will serve as confidence booster, both mentally and physically,'' he said. Sehwag said he had also discussed a lot with Indian team support staff Paddy Upton to be mentally tough. When asked about the present South African team, he said ''it has a good mix of batting and bowling.'' However, they have to cope up the slow Indian wickets.'' Asked about his association with new coach Gary Kirsten, Sehwag said ''we are very keen to work with him (Kirsten). He knows how to handle the players. His experience will help us a lot.'' — UNI
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Appeal to ULFA: ACA secy in soup
Guwahati, March 24 In a belated move, Assam Public Works (APW), an NGO, filed a case in the Chandmari police station against the ACA secretary Bikash Boruah for violating the law of the land by making appeal to the banned ULFA through newspaper advertisements not to disrupt the India-Pakistan one-day international. The advertisement was issued in the name of the ACA secretary in local newspapers on November 2 last year. The ACA secretary in the appeal requested all especially the ULFA to extend cooperation in the smooth conduct of the match without any disruption. In a subsequent statement in response to the ACA secretary’s appeal, the banned ULFA had stated that it had no plan to disrupt the match as it had nothing against sports. The police said a case The Unlawful Activities Prevention Act has been registered in response to the FIR lodged by the APW against the ACA secretary who has refused to come on record. It may be mentioned that Gautom Roy, senior cabinet minister of Assam, is the president of the ACA. However, the FIR filed by the APW mentioned the name of only the secretary of the ACA as the appeal to the ULFA was issued in his name.
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Anand loses, slips to joint 4th
Nice, March 24 Anand managed to draw his rapid game but ended up conceding a point in the blindfold tie, which cost the Indian dear as he slipped to joint fourth spot in the overall standings. Defeat in the direct encounter against Aronian means the distance between Anand and the tournament leader has widened. With just three rounds remaining, Aronian is now on 10.5 points, a full point ahead of Magnus Carlsen of Norway, who scored a resounding 2-0 victory over Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan. Peter Leko of Hungary accounted for Loek Van Wely of Holland by a 1.5-0.5 margin to jump to the third spot with nine points while Anand, Vladimir Kramnik of Russia, Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria and Alexander Morozevich of Russia are now joint fourth with 8.5 points each. After the loss, Anand's blindfold standing was worst hit after a smart recovery in previous rounds. The Indian ace now shares the seventh spot in this section with four points. Morozevich is the leader in this section with 5.5 points. Anand, however, remained on joint second spot with 4.5 points in the rapid section. Aronian has a healthy 1.5 points lead in this section as he has garnered six points so far. The battle between leader Aronian and Anand started with a spectacular clash in the blindfold game where the former proved superior after taking his chances. It was a queen's gambit declined wherein Aronian went for a risky venture and was duly rewarded. Anand's 14th move was a mistake in the opinion of Aronian but his exploitation of advantage was certainly not flawless. Anand, however, missed his chance, lost a pawn and Aronian reached an easy win ending, in which he was an exchange up with little to scare. The game lasted 50 moves. The return rapid game was a relatively short affair.
— PTI |
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Georgetown, March 24 Vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, returning after a six-month injury absence, provided the main resistance with an unbeaten 57. All-rounder Dwayne Bravo, dropped on one at slip off Muttiah Muralitharan, was unbeaten on six. West Indies reached the interval still 369 runs in arrears after Sri Lanka had compiled 476 for eight declared on the first two days. Thushara, playing his second Test, had both Devon Smith (14) and Marlon Samuels (five) caught behind early on the third morning to put the hosts under pressure. Off-spinner Muralitharan also picked up an important wicket minutes before lunch when Shivnarine Chanderpaul was caught at short cover off a leading edge for 23. Scoreboard Sri Lanka (1st innings) 476-8 dec West Indies (1st innings) Gayle lbw Vaas 0 Smith c Jayawardene b Thushara 14 Sarwan not out 57 Samuels c Jayawardene b Thushara 5 Chanderapul c Warnapura b Muralitharan 23 Bravo not out 6 Extras (2-nb) 2 Total (4 wkts, 44 overs) 107 Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-46, 3-58, 4-99 Bowling: Vaas 9-3-21-1, Thushara 13-3-32-2, Dilshan 1-0-2-0, Muralitharan 13-1-38-1, Herath 8-2-14-0. — Reuters
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Napier, March 24 Strauss and Bell shared a 187-run partnership which emphasised the dominance of England's batsmen who had given its team a total of 416 for five and an unapproachable lead of 501 at stumps with two days remaining. Their centuries were dissimilar in style but equally important as England ruthlessly consolidated a 85-run lead it held after the first innings and the 176-run advantage it had built by the end of the second day. Strauss's 11th Test century, his first in 16 Tests, was a feat of patience and application. He set himself as the anchor of the innings and provided the stability that allowed Bell and later Paul Collingwood (22) and Tim Ambrose (28) to attack the bowlers and more rapidly build England's lead. Strauss' magnificent innings, which occupied more than 7 1/2 hours by stumps, achieved the twin purposes of cementing his place in the England side and driving home England's massive advantage in a match which will decide the three-Test series. Strauss played a flowing cover drive for four off Chris Martin, his 16th boundary, to reach his century after five hours and nine minutes at the crease. He had resumed his innings at 42 not out today and went on to his century from 226 balls, as the lynchpin of the England innings. Scoreboard England (1st innings): 253 New Zealand (1st innings): 168 England (2nd innings): Cook c McCullum b Patel 37 Vaughan c McCullum b Martin 4 Strauss not out 173 Pietersen c Taylor b Vettori 34 Bell c Sinclair b Vettori 110 Collingwood c & b Vettori 22 Ambrose not out 28 Extras (lb 3, w 1, nb 4): 8 Total (5 wickets; 122 overs): 416 Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-77, 3-140, 4-327, 5-361 Bowling: Martin 18-2-60-1, Southee 24-5-84-0, Elliott 14-1-58-0, Patel 26-4-76-1, Vettori 40-6-135-3. — AFP
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Giants down Heroes by 7 runs
Gurgaon, March 24 Mahajan was playing his first match of the tournament but held his nerves to good effect in the last over when he was given the bowl with Heroes needing 15 runs to win the match. He did not disappoint his captain and claimed two wickets off his first two deliveries which also accounted for Stuart Binny (50) who was the top scorer for Heroes. T Sudhindra, who shared the new ball with Shane Bond, halted the Hyderabad Heroes innings immediately and reduced them to three for 15 in just the fourth over. The pacer claimed three wickets for 23 runs in his alloted four overs and the target seemed a daunting one for the Heroes and ultimately, the Heroes failed to get their act together. For Heroes, former South African all-rounder Justin Kemp chipped in with a useful 33 and was looking dangerous when Shane Bond removed him in his second spell. Earlier, after winning the toss and electing to bat first, Delhi Giants were restricted to a modest 137 for the loss of eight wickets.
— PTI |
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Doral (Florida), March 24 Jeev, who had shot 68, 70 and 70 in his first three rounds was one over after 13 holes of his final round when play was suspended. His total now stands at seven under. Indian Masters winner SSP Chowrasia (74, 73, 68) is currently tied 47th. He was one under through 17 holes of his fourth round. Chowrasia's total is two under. India-born Swede Daniel Chopra (72, 70, 69) is tied 39th at four under. In the fourth round he was one over through 16 holes. Australian Geoff Ogilvy (65, 67, 68) leads at the moment with a total of seventeen under. He was one under through nine holes of his final round. — UNI
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Angry fans burn Gill's effigy
New Delhi, March 24 Peeved with India's recent failure to make it to the Beijing Olympics, the Hockey Fans Club of India held a demonstration here and condemned the "lackadaisical attitude" of the federation towards the game. Shouting slogans against Gill, the fans beat up the effigy of the IHF chief before setting it on fire. "The situation is so grim that we have lost our standing in the game. The Federation has not taken any step to check its deterioration," said Avtar Singh Verka, Secretary of the club. "We share the national grief over India's failure to reach the Olympics. We demand the removal of Gill. Besides, present coach Joaquim Carvalho's resignation be accepted and Australia's Ric Charlesworth be handed over the full charge of the team," he said. Verka said a new set of officials should be appointed to run the IHF keeping in view the 2010 World Cup to be held in India. "A new team of the Federation should be elected ahead of the World Cup and matches of this event be held in Delhi," he said.
— PTI |
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