 |
|
|
Lawson backtracks, apologises again |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Raja, Akram rap team management
Karachi, June 30 Former Pakistan captains Rameez Raja and Wasim Akram feel the current team management required to show some "maturity" in dealing with the media than getting into a situation like what happened between coach Geoff Lawson and the local reporters at a press conference here. Kumble backs Dhoni
Torres’ winner one of the best
Job done, Torres eyes World Cup
FIBA top brass to visit India
HP hockey body urges CM to install Astroturf Minister Gill on 3-day London visit
|
|
Bangladesh succumb to Murali Karachi, June 30 Muralitharan's five for 31 came on the heels of centuries from man of the match Sanath Jayasuriya, celebrating his 39th birthday, and Kumar Sangakkara. The Sri Lankan pair put on a record opening partnership of 201. Muralitharan, who last took five wickets in April 2004 against Zimbabwe in Harare, helped dismiss Bangladesh for 174 in 38.3 overs after Sri Lanka had hit 332 for eight in their 50 overs. Bangladesh were unable to put up a fight after their bowlers were belted by Jayasuriya, who hit a quickfire 130 from 88 balls, and Sangakkara (121), who scored his third century of the tournament. The two left-handers set an Asia Cup record for an opening partnership, their 201 runs bettering the 191 put together by Jayasuriya and Avish Gunawardene against Bangladesh in 2004. It was Sri Lanka's fourth win in the competition and put them in the final against either India or Pakistan. Birthday man Jayasuriya became the second-oldest player to score a hundred in one-day internationals after England's Geoffrey Boycott, who made a century against Australia in Sydney in 1979 at the age of 39 years and 51 days. Jayasuriya struck the 26th century of his career from only 55 balls, with 14 fours and five sixes. He was out in the 28th over, caught at deep extra cover by Tamim Iqbal off leg spinner Alok Kapali. It was his fourth hundred against Bangladesh. Sangakkara fell in the 45th over, his 121 compiled from 128 balls with 16 fours and one six. It was the 10th hundred of his career. Bangladesh wilted under the pressure and they had only two partnerships of substance. Opener Nazimuddin made 47 from 59 balls, hitting seven fours and one six, and Raquibul Hasan top scored with 52 from 63 balls. Nazim put on 43 with Mohammad Ashraful (14) and a further 43 for the third wicket with Hasan, who made his fourth 50. Bangladesh lost five wickets for 62 in a middle-order slump and lost their last eight wickets for 78 runs. Opener Tamim Iqbal (10) was caught behind by stand-in wicketkeeper Dilshan off Chaminda Vaas, while Ashraful edged Thilan Mirando behind.
— Reuters Scoreboard Sri Lanka: J’suriya c Iqbal b Kapali 130 S’kkara b Razzak 121 J,wardene c Ashraful b Kapali 20 K’gedera c Kapali b Hossain 1 Silva lbw b Reza 5 Dilshan run out 2 Vaas c Hasan b Reza 7 Mirando b Mortaza 10 K’sekera not out 18 Mendis not out 8 Extras (lb-3 w-5 nb-2): 10 Total (8 wickets, 50 overs): 332 Fall of wickets: 1-201 2-235 3-243 4-263 5-267 6-292 7-304 8-310 Bowling: Mortaza 10-0-78-1, Hossain 7-1-46-1, Razzak 10-0-71-1, Reza 9-1-51-2, Mahmudullah 8-0-43-0, Kapali 6-0-40-2. Bangladesh T Iqbal c Dilshan b Vaas 8 Nazimuddin run out 47 Ashraful c Dilshan b Mirando 14 Hasan c Jayawardene b Murali 52 M Rahim c Jayawardene b Murali 8 Kapali lbw b Murali 9 Mahmudullah c sub b Mendis 8 F Reza c Jayawardene b Mendis 5 A Razzak b Murali 7 Mortaza c Silva b Murali 2 S Hossain not out 0 Extras (lb-6, w-7, nb-1) 14 Total (all out, 38.3 overs) 174 Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-53, 3-96, 4-116, 5-135, 6-158, 7-162, 8-168, 9-172, 10-174 Bowling: Vaas 5-0-21-1, Kulasekera 6-1-26-0, Mirando 5-0-36-1, Mendis 7.3-0-29-2, Murliatharan 10-1-31-5, Kapugedera 5-0-25-0. Player of the match: S. Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka).
|
|
Lawson backtracks, apologises again
Karachi, June 30 Lawson was said to have made an unconditional apology for last night's incident in a statement issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board but the coach, while talking to reporters at the Pakistan team nets at another venue, insisted he had only apologised to those mediapersons who stayed back at the conference as he could not take their questions. "I don't like to be disrespected," he said at the nets. As soon as the word spread about Lawson retracting on his apology, the local media decided to protest strongly which they did by going out and holding a demonstration outside the stadium and wearing black arm bands. The protest came by the local journalists who were joined by the foreign media people covering the tournament. Board officials who tried to pacify the media were told clearly only an unconditional apology from Lawson would be acceptable. This came an hour later after a top official of the Board met with Lawson and informed him about the worsening situation. In the new statement issued in his handwriting and signature, Lawson gave an unconditional apology to all the media people present at the conference and said he looked forward to enjoying a cordial and good working relationship with them in future. Lawson had clashed with local reporters after they objected to his dictatorial behaviour at the conference. "A couple of rules before we start don’t make statements, ask questions. If someone asks the question twice I wont answer it, and make your question sensible otherwise I won’t answer it, okay," he said.
— PTI
|
|
|
Raja, Akram rap team management
Karachi, June 30 The duo said the row between Lawson and the local media after Pakistan's 64-run loss against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup Super Four match yesterday was "unfortunate" and "uncalled for". Lawson's conference was boycotted by the local media with the Indian, Sri Lankan and Bangladesh's journalists also following the suit after the Australian came and started dictating to the media about what sort of questions he would take. His remark to a local journalist that he needed to improve his English triggered off the walk out leaving the coach fuming. The Pakistan Cricket Board hierarchy was also in action today over the incident with sources confirming that Chairman Nasim Ashraf had spoken to the team management, including Lawson, over the incident on phone. "It is an unfortunate incident. I can understand the frustration in the team but you can't show that in front of media people. You need to respect the people where you work or live," former captain Rameez Raja told reporters. The alteration between Lawson and the media had been waiting to happen for sometime after a series of brushes. To make matters worse, even captain Shoaib Malik has not had a very pleasant relationship with the media and he also got entangled into arguments and exchanged curt words with the media at his press conference last week. Rameez said there was a need for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to see if there was really to make it mandatory for teams to face the media after every match, each day.
— PTI |
|
Kumble backs Dhoni
Bangalore, June 30 "It's never easy to play back-to-back one-day games," Kumble told reporters when his reaction was sought on Dhoni's comments. "I have done that it my (one-day) career. It's quite tough and demanding on the players", he said on the last day of a week-long camp here for Test specialists as part of the preparations for the upcoming Sri Lanka
tour. Dhoni on Saturday had lambasted the gruelling Asia Cup schedule after his side swamped Bangladesh by seven wickets to record their third successive win in the competition in
Karachi. Dhoni had said, "We have spent 36 hours playing cricket out of the 84 hours we have been in Karachi. It is too tight.”
— PTI
|
|
|
Watson guides Aussies to easy win
St George’s, Grenada, June 30 The win provided Australia with an unassailable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five limited overs series, making dead rubbers of the final two matches in St Kitts, scheduled for later this week. Save for Fidel Edwards' early dismissal of Shaun Marsh for a duck, the hosts never seemed close to defending their total of 223 yesterday. Watson and Ricky Ponting posted a 190-run stand, the highest ever limited overs second-wicket partnership by an Australian pair in the Caribbean, as the tourists rolled to 227 for three in 40.3 overs. Watson's innings of 126 from 122 deliveries was his first century in any form of international cricket, and came more than six years after his one-day debut for Australia. The Queensland all-rounder has suffered a horrendous run of injuries over the course of his career, and was only called into the Australian squad as a late replacement for Matthew Hayden. Watson raised his century with a boundary through mid-wicket off the bowling of Chris Gayle. He was embraced by his captain, Ponting, who was eventually dismissed by Gayle for 69, though not before he had steered Australia to the cusp of a commanding victory. On a slow pitch, Watson displayed patience and poise in the early stages of his innings before accelerating later. The right-hander was particularly damaging square of the wicket, striking sixes over mid-wicket and wide long-on during his career-best innings. Watson was removed attempting to paddle Darren Sammy down the leg side in the 37th over. The home supporters were left disappointed by another underwhelming performance from the West Indian team. Among the hosts' bowlers, only Edwards and Bravo threatened for extended periods, and the Windies' energy levels in the field appeared to be lacking, as evidenced by a number of dropped catches and misfields throughout the Aussie innings. Brief scores: West Indies: 223 all out in 48 overs (Gayle 53, Marshall 35, Bracken 3-26) Australia: 227 for 3 in 40.3 overs (Watson 126, Ponting 69).
— Reuters |
|
Ancic battles hard to enter last 8
London, June 30 The Croat was the last man to beat Federer on grass, in a first round match at Wimbledon in 2002, since when the Swiss has picked up a modern-era record-equalling five successive titles. The 24-year-old Ancic, a semifinalist in 2004, has now reached the quarterfinals three times but missed the tournament last year and was out for nearly six months with glandular fever. The unseeded Ancic looked down and out when Verdasco, the number 22 seed, led two sets to one and 4-1 in the fourth, only to fight his way back into a match that lasted three hours and 48 minutes on Court 11. Roger Federer came out on top in the battle of the Wimbledon champions when he trumped Lleyton Hewitt 7-6 6-2 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals today. Australian Hewitt, the only men's winner in the draw other than five-times champion Federer, kept the Swiss on his toes during a tight first set. Four-time champion Venus Williams swept into the quarter-finals with an impressive display of power tennis against Russian teenager Alisa Kleybanova. Williams, firmly on course to meet her sister Serena in the final, won 6-3 6-4. Twice former champion Serena Williams produced her best display at Wimbledon this year to wallop Bethanie Mattek 6-3 6-3 in their all-American fourth round match. Czech Nicole Vaidisova sealed her place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the second successive year after coming from behind to overcome eighth seed Anna Chakvetadze 4-6 7-6 6-3. Fifth seed Elena Dementieva, the highest women's seed remaining at Wimbledon, breezed into the quarterfinals on Monday with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Shahar Peer of Israel. Polish teenager Agnieszka Radwanska completed the destruction of the top four seeds at Wimbledon when she beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 in the fourth round. Rafael Nadal survived an early scare when he needed treatment to his right calf before beating Mikhail Youznhy 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals. Spaniard Feliciano Lopez saved three match points before outlasting Cypriot number 10 seed Marcos Baghdatis 5-7, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 8-6 to reach the last eight. China's Zheng Jie, who knocked out top seed Ana Ivanovic last week, upset the form book again on Monday, defeating 15th seed Agnes Szavay 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals. Unseeded Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn stunned second seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 6-3, 6-2 to reach her first grand slam quarterfinal. — Reuters
|
|
Zheng’s success boosts China’s Olympic hopes
Beijing, June 30 The 24-year-old became the first Chinese to beat a reigning world number one with a 6-1, 6-4 thrashing of Serb Ana Ivanovic in the third round on Friday, a victory all the more remarkable because she was playing as a wild card ranked 133rd in the world. Today, she beat 15th seed Agnes Szavay of Hungary 6-3, 6-4. Zheng, who missed most of last year with an ankle injury, is a former Wimbledon and Australian Open doubles champion as well as an Asian Games doubles and singles champion. "All she's missing is an Olympic gold," read a headline in Titan Sport newspaper. "China's golden flower expected to bloom at the Olympics," added Beijing Youth Daily. She had teamed up with Yan Zi to win China's first major titles in Melbourne and at the All England Club, won her second and third WTA singles events and helped China reach the Fed Cup world group for the first time. Only Li Na did better, becoming the first Chinese to reach the last eight of a grand slam, at Wimbledon, and the first player from her country to move into the top 20. Zheng and Li have since struggled with injury and loss of form and Yan is currently the top-ranked Chinese woman at number 45, a spot ahead of Li. Gao Shenyang, deputy director of the Chinese Tennis Association, hailed the victory and said Zheng was a blueprint for a new generation of players.
— Reuters |
|
Torres’ winner one of the best Vienna, June 30 His 33rd minute strike yesterday clipped home from an acute angle after he muscled past Philipp Lahm, was the 77th and final goal to join those that were brilliantly volleyed, headed and fired home - or even tapped in after bouncing out of a puddle. Spain went into the final having already scored 11 goals, more than any other team in the tournament, with forward David Villa, who missed the final because of injury, finishing as the competition's top scorer with four. The best of his strikes was the second of a hat-trick against Russia in a 4-1 win in Spain's opening match. Villa began the move when he retrieved a loose ball deep in his own half and began a quick counter attack. Joan Capdevila and Andres Iniesta then combined before Iniesta found Villa who sprinted into the box and shot past keeper Igor Akinfeyev. Germany scored some stunning goals on their way to the final but Bastian Schweinsteiger's strike against Portugal in their quarter-final was outstanding. Lukas Podolski and Michael Ballack exchanged passes on the left to escape the Portuguese midfield and, after sprinting down the wing, Podolski's low hard cross was rammed home first time by Schweinsteiger at the near post. Ballack scored a blistering goal from a free kick against Austria while teammate Philipp Lahm's winner against Turkey in the semi-final was another superb strike. Just four minutes after being exposed for Turkey's 86th minute equaliser, Lahm latched on to a Thomas Hitzlsperger pass that freed him on the left and he curled the ball past the advancing Rustu Recber to seal Germany's place in the final. Although Turkey lost to the Germans, they had a thrilling journey to the last four, sealing their place in the knockout stages with a remarkable 3-2 win over Czech Republic after trailing 2-0 with only 15 minutes remaining. Nihat Kahveci's second goal was remarkable. Released by an angled pass from Hamit Altintop, Nihat beat the offside trap, steadied himself, and then curled the ball over Petr Cech and into the net off the underside of the bar for the winner. The Dutch, who lost in the quarter-finals, bagged 10 goals, with Wesley Sneijder scoring two of the best in the tournament. His first came in a 3-0 win over world champions Italy after an unstoppable breakaway began with Giovanni van Bronckhorst clearing off his own goal line after an Italian corner. He then galloped 60 metres upfield before hitting a wonderful cross-field pass to Dirk Kuyt and he found Sneijder, who poked the ball past keeper Gianluigi Buffon to score. Sneijder's late long-range strike against France was another stunner and came minutes after Arjen Robben's angled third for the Dutch which was followed by his usual shrug of satisfaction. Other memorable strikes included Zlatan Ibrahimovic's drive for Sweden against Greece, Podolski's volley versus Poland, Pepe's for Portugal against Turkey and Hakan Yakin's goal for Switzerland versus the Turks on a quagmire of a pitch in Basel. Yakin's effort was a simple one that will live long in the memory after the ball bounced through a puddle formed by the severest of the flash storms that added to the drama. — Reuters
|
|
Job done, Torres eyes World Cup
The Liverpool star, who was voted man of the match, pounced on some hesitancy in the German defence by Philipp Lahm to score the only goal of the game at the Ernst Happel stadium but felt that Spain were clearly the better side despite the narrow 1-0 victory. "Lahm was in a better position but for a moment he relaxed and I took advantage," he said of his winning strike. "I have peace of mind because we did what we wanted to do. It's good for Spain and good for football because the team that played the best football won. "I am also happy because my job is to score goals. I am just one of a group." Torres said he felt privileged to be part of the national team and privileged to experience this "beautiful moment." "I'm delighted that it is my first major tournament win and I hope it's not my last. We have to enjoy this and then go for the next World Cup in two years. Torres singled out veteran coach Luis Aragones as the decisive factor in why Spain finally won a major trophy for the first time since lifting the Henri Delaunay trophy in 1964. "Luis is like one of the players for us. He is like a father," said Torres. "He's maybe the most important thing in our set-up because he has a lot of confidence in the group. We are very happy that on his last game he goes down in Spanish footballing history." Aragones returned the compliment, saying he felt Torres could go on to become an even better player. "Fernando is a great player. He has shown it at Liverpool and with the national team, and he can get anywhere because he is an outstanding player. "He may yet have a few things left to learn, but he is still young so he can learn everything he needs to become one of the best players in the world." — DPA |
|
Gay clocks 9.68 sec
Eugene, Oregon, June 30 The victory put Gay into his first US Olympic team but the wind speed of 4.1 metres per second deprived the 25-year-old of a world record yesterday. Only marks set with assisting winds of 2.0 metres per second or less can be considered for record purposes. “The time really meant a lot because that's the time that (co-coach Jon) Drummond has been instilling in my head for a long time, that I could run 9.6,” Gay told reporters. “I didn't really care what the wind was.” Gay showed little emotion at the end of the race. “But inside I was happy,” he said. Jamaican Usain Bolt holds the world record of 9.72 seconds. The previous best time under any conditions was a wind-assisted 9.69 seconds by Obadele Thompson of Barbados in 1996. Gay, who ran a national record 9.77 seconds on Saturday, made a solid start and by 40 metres was in complete control of the race. Former collegiate champion Walter Dix finished second in 9.80 seconds with Darvis Patton third in 9.84 seconds. Both made the US team.
— Reuters |
|
FIBA top brass to visit India
New Delhi, June 30 The top brass of FIBA have some understanding of Indian basketball having watched the Indian hoopsters in action during some junior and senior meets abroad though it will be their first visit to the country. They will discuss a tie-up with the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) secretary-general Harish Sharma in a bid to revamp the game in the country. The visit of the top FIBA officials is part of the "Basketball Without Borders" programme, which will be a four-day FIBA-NBA joint venture, to be held at the American Embassy School in Delhi. FIBA officials will also have discussions with union minister for youth affairs and sports Dr M.S. Gill and Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi. BFI secretary general Harish Sharma said the visit of the top officials from the world and Asian bodies "could change the face of the game in the country as we expect the FIBA to pitch in with its might to take the game to a different level". Harish Sharma said the Indian boys and girls had the potential, but what they lacked was understanding the nuances of the game, to "make it big". Sharma said the profile of the game had gone several notches up in the country with the Sports Ministry putting the discipline on the priority list, due to the initiative of minister Gill. |
|
HP hockey body urges CM to install Astroturf
Bilaspur, June 30 Releasing the decisions of the executive committee meeting of state association held at Matooli in Solan district last evening, general secretary S.P. Dass said that meeting was presided by K.P.S. Gill and was attended by all members from all districts of the state. The meeting also urged the state government to appoint at least one coach in Chamba, Kangra, Hamirpur, Solan and Una districts. At the meeting, the calendar for the year was decided. The dates for a state-level championship for under-18 at Solan, under-21 at Hamirpur and senior’s championship at Kangra will be decided soon. A special coaching camp for 25 selected players between ages of 16 to 18 years at Una and another coaching camp for another 25 selected players between ages of 19 to 21 years at Bilaspur will be held. It was decided that
players already under training in hockey hostels would not be selected for these coaching camps as they were already under regular practice and coaching. The selection committees for sub-junior, under-18, under-21 and senior state teams for competing in national championships were also formed. |
|
Minister Gill on 3-day London visit New Delhi, June 30 Come tomorrow and minister of sports M.S. Gill will embark on a three-day London visit to have a first-hand account of London’s Olympic preparations. Gill will hold meetings with the Olympics minister in London as well as the Commonwealth secretary general to discuss issues involved in organising world-class sporting events such as the Commonwealth Games in India. India can gain from the experience of London which will host its third Olympics in 2012. “I am going to London to have some understanding of issues involved, to see what difficulties London is facing and how it is finding a way around them,” Gill today told The Tribune. London, in fact, has a full-fledged Olympics minister to handle the international sporting event and anchor the essential tasks.
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Vienna, June 30
