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Tendulkar, Bhajji set to return
Give me rest: Dhoni
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My hardest defeat, says Federer
Red alert over Champions Trophy
ACU chief doesn’t bet on IPL
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Tendulkar, Bhajji set to return
Mumbai, July 7 The clamour for the expected recall of seniors Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and V V S Laxman in the Test squad led by Anil Kumble has gone up after the one-day team's failure to clinch both the tri-series in Bangladesh and the Asia Cup in Pakistan that ended yesterday. Dhoni and his younger lot of players did not show the needed will and strength of character in the most crucial ties of both the tournaments, the finals, and lost to Pakistan and Sri Lanka, respectively. With Tendulkar reportedly fit and Harbhajan Singh having served out his five-match ODI ban for slapping fellow-India teammate S Sreesanth during the Indian Premier League, the duo is poised to get back to international action along with Dravid, Ganguly and Laxman. Tendulkar missed the two ODI events post-IPL to give rest to his troublesome groin. His inspiring presence along with those of the other three vastly experienced batsmen should give the batting line-up the stability that seemed to be missing at crucial stages in the one-day tournaments. Yuvraj Singh, after having had a mixed run in the Tests, is the front-runner for one of the remaining slots in the middle order. The remaining spot might go to Suresh Raina who has returned to the ODI squad after a long gap and seem to have edged ahead of Rohit Sharma and his UP teammate Mohd Kaif on current form. For the opening slot it would be a huge surprise if the selection panel led by Dilip Vengsarkar does not include an in-form Gautam Gambhir to launch the innings with his Delhi and ODI teammate Virender Sehwag. The third opener's place could be a toss-up between Wasim Jaffer of Mumbai and Delhi's Akash Chopra who took part in the off-season fitness-specific camp recently at Bangalore. The headache for the selectors would involve the pace attack. Zaheer Khan is still under ankle injury cloud while Sreesanth is yet to prove match fitness after having been ruled out of the last two ODI tournaments because of a side muscle strain. Munaf Patel, ignored for one-dayers, may get in as the attack that played in Pakistan spearheaded by lanky Ishant Sharma lacked bite on docile wickets. It remains to be seen what sort of pace combination the selectors opt for to confront the Lankan batting line-up which becomes extra strong in their own backyard against most attacks. — PTI
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Dhoni was non-committal on Monday about reports that he may skip the Test series against Sri Lanka later this month to take some much-needed break, saying the situation would be clear in a couple of days. "In India and the subcontinent we have a full year of cricket and there's no off-season. It's tough for cricketers. When we want rest we should get it," India's limited overs captain said at a function here on Monday. "The BCCI (Cricket Board) has said we can take rest whenever we want which I think is a very good policy," he said adding, "You will come to know that in a couple of days' time" when asked whether he intended to take a break by opting out of the three-Test series in Lanka. Dhoni insisted that he was fully fit during the Asia Cup that concluded in Karachi yesterday with India tasting defeat in the final against Sri Lanka by a massive 100-run margin. "Since last series there's been no problem (on the fitness front). I have no (fitness) problem presently as well," said the swashbuckling wicketkeeper batsman. Dhoni did not read too much into the Indian team's losses in the two finals that it had contested recently - against Pakistan in the tri-series tournament in Dhaka and against Lanka last night in the Asia Cup. "Winning or losing can happen, but it's important to put in your best at all times. If you still lose then there's little you can do about it," he said. BCCI unaware
The BCCI said it has not received any intimation from Dhoni to exclude him from the Sri Lanka-bound squad. The BCCI was reacting to media reports which claimed that Dhoni was set to pull out of the Sri Lanka tour as he was tired of playing non-stop cricket. “He was in the same flight with me from Karachi but he did not say anything at all,” BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah told PTI. “If at all there is anything, we will know tomorrow,” Shah said.
— PTI |
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Aussies post record win over Windies
Basseterre (St Kitts), July 7 After reaching 341 for eight in their innings, the largest one-day total posted by an Australian side against West Indies, the tourists restricted their hosts to just 172 in 39.5 overs. The 169-run victory margin eclipsed the previous highest of 134, recorded in Sydney in 2001. Mitchell Johnson (5-29) proved the destroyer for Australia, ably supported by the part-time spin of Andrew Symonds (2-23) and Michael Clarke (2-34), who effectively contained the West Indies through the middle overs and denied them any hope of victory. It was a bleak afternoon for the West Indies. Only Shawn Findlay, with 59 not out, provided meaningful resistance against the Australian bowlers. Scoreboard Australia: Marsh c Ramdin b Edwards 49 Watson c Powell b Bravo 29 Ronchi c Ramdin b Miller 64 Clarke c Ramdin b Sarwan 5 M Hussey c Findlay b Edwards 51 Symonds c Ramdin b Edwards 66 D Hussey c Powell b Sarwan 52 Hopes c Fletcher b Sarwan 18 Lee not out 0 Extras (lb-3 w-1 nb-3): 7 Total (8 wickets, 50 overs): 341 Fall of wickets: 1-70 2-129 3-150 4-152 5-265 6-280 7-341 8-341. Bowling: Edwards 9-0-86-3 (3nb), Powell 10-0-50-0, Bravo 10-0-74-1 (1w), Gayle 2-0-33-0, Miller 10-0-38-1, Sarwan 9-1-57-3. West Indies: Gayle c Ronchi b Johnson 5 Marshall lbw b Watson 17 Sarwan c Hopes b Johnson 7 Chanderpaul c Lee b Clarke 38 Findlay not out 59 Bravo c D Hussey b Symonds 13 Fletcher st Ronchi b Clarke 1 Ramdin c M Hussey b Symonds 3 Powell b Johnson 10 Miller c Watson b Johnson 8 Edwards c Hopes b Johnson 0 Extras (lb-2 w-9): 11 Total (all out, 39.5 overs): 172 FoW: 1-6 2-21 3-56 4-92 5-129 6-131 7-138 8-158 9-172 10-172 Bowling: Lee 9-0-42-0 (4w), Johnson 7.5-1-29-5 (2w), Bracken 5-0-19-0, Watson 5-0-23-1, Clarke 6-0-34-2 (1w), Symonds 7-0-23-2 (2w). — Reuters
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My hardest defeat, says Federer
London, July 7 The Swiss said yesterday that he was not looking for excuses but pointed to fading light on Centre Court as a hindrance in the thrilling 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 final, which was twice interrupted by rain. “It is a disaster, the French is nothing in comparison,” a subdued Federer told a news conference. Federer has lost to Nadal three times in the French Open final. “It’s rough on me now, obviously, you know, to lose the biggest tournament in the world over maybe a bit of light,” the 26-year-old told a news conference. “It’s not a whole lot of fun, but it’s the way it is. I can only congratulate Rafa for a great effort.” Federer, who said he had also struggled because of the gusty conditions, had been chasing a modern-era record of six All England Club titles in a row and his disappointment was immense. “(It was) probably my hardest loss, by far. I mean, it’s not much harder than this right now,” he said. Federer said it was too early for him to appreciate what a fantastic contest he had been part of. “Probably later on in life, you know, I’ll go, ‘That was a great match’. But right now it’s not much of ... a positive thing to end this match,” he said. “I’m happy we lived up to the expectations, you know. I’m happy the way I fought. That’s all I could really do.” He said he had been pleased with the many astonishing shots he had managed to pull out of the bag at critical moments and he had been sure that by forcing the match into a fifth set the momentum would have been with him to go on and win. “Really, I just think we both played tough till the very end, you know. In tennis, unfortunately sometimes there has to be winners and losers. There are no draws.” — Reuters
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London, July 7 Regardless of the computer reading, Nadal stamped his supremacy over Roger Federer when he ended his Swiss rival’s five-year Wimbledon reign yesterday in a heart-stopping five-set thriller. In addition to snatching the All England Club crown, the Spaniard also snapped Federer’s record streak of 65 wins on grass. “Whoever wins the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year for me is the number one in the world,” said three-times champion Boris Becker. “The computer just didn’t get it yet.” Lest anyone should doubt just how difficult it is to achieve the French Open-Wimbledon double in the same year, Nadal became the first man to pull off the feat since Bjorn Borg in 1980. With the All England Club defeat coming quickly on the back of his humiliating loss in the French Open final, where a rampaging Nadal allowed Federer to pocket just four games, the Swiss's hold on the top ranking looks extremely precarious. Federer has led the rankings for a record 232 consecutive weeks, and Nadal has been second for a record 155. If the computer does not reflect what everyone else can see, its authenticity could soon be questioned, especially since Nadal’s haul of six titles in 2008 includes two Grand Slams and two Masters Series events. Injured Nadal out of Stuttgart Cup
Stuttgart: Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal has pulled out of this week’s Stuttgart Cup tournament due to a knee injury, the Spaniard said today. “My doctors have said I need a couple of days rest. I will now get examined for an exact diagnosis,” Nadal was quoted saying at a news conference in Stuttgart by SID German sport news agency. “I want to return to court once I am 100 percent fit,” the 22-year-old said, adding he was exhausted after playing continuously for four to five months.
— Reuters |
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Red alert over Champions Trophy
Dubai, July 7 The Champions Trophy is due from September 11 with matches to be held in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi. Eight teams- Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England and the West Indies- will participate in the tournament. In a hard hitting statement ICC chief executive officer Haroon Lorgat said “The ICC will not compromise the safety and security of any individual at one of its tournaments and if it is not appropriate to play in any country then we will not do so.” Lorgat said a security process had been agreed for the Champions Trophy. “The process involved an exchange of information between the competing teams, the ICC and the security consultants,” he said. “Our security consultants have been working with the Pakistan authorities during the Asia Cup, assessing security, and will report back as soon as possible with their views,” he added. India, however, has suggested the postponement of the Champions Trophy, instead of shifting it from Pakistan. — UNI Aussie players opt out
Sydney: Leading Australian cricketers have decided to opt out of the team for the Champions trophy if it is to be played in Pakistan. The players have informed Cricket Australia (CA) that they will not like to travel to Pakistan to play the tourney. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, senior players have also informed their team mates that they will be pulling out of the squad for the Champions Trophy even if CA gives a green signal. The paper said the bomb blast near the Lal Masjid in the Pakistani capital has created a panic among the players. According to the daily, the report of the CA’s security adviser Reg Dickason, who returned from Pakistan last week after an inspection, have not been revealed. However, it was understood that the security personnel are concerned about the fact that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) cannot guarantee cleared roads between team hotels and stadia throughout the tournament. Meanwhile, chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) Tim May was quoted as saying that the situation in Pakistan was still in turmoil since they abandoned their tour of the south Asian nation in March.
— UNI |
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Melbourne, July 7 Condon feels the IPL may go the Sharjah way, where several matches were suspected to have been fixed by a network of bookies in the 1990’s in collusion with players, according to a report on a website -- cricketnirvana.com. “The IPL brings with it the biggest threat in terms of corruption in the game since the days of cricket in Sharjah,” Condon told the ICC’s Executive Committee during the governing body’s annual conference. Since the IPL is a domestic tournament, the ICC does not send its anti-corruption officials to keep an eye on the players and Condon feels this is precisely what makes it vulnerable to being hijacked by the bookies, The Age reported here today. — PTI
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London, July 7
