Scoreboard 

Board's President XI (1st innings): 455

Australia (1st innings):

Hayden c Patel b Pathan 20

Katich c Kohli b Ojha 15

Ponting b Chawla 41

M Hussey not out 126

M Clarke lbw b Chawla 18

Haddin st Patel b Ojha 34

Krejza c Yuvraj b Ojha 0

Lee lbw b Chawla 0

Johnson c Chopra b Chawla 5

Siddle lbw b Chawla 2

Clark c Ojha b Yuvraj 44

Extras (b-4, lb-5): 9

Total (all out, 120.3 overs): 314

Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-54, 3-94, 4-128, 5-199, 6-203, 7-204, 8-214, 9-218.

Bowling: Irfan Pathan 24-4-80-1, MS Gony 14-3-47-0, Pragyan Ojha 34-10-72-3, Piyush Chawla 40-7-89-5, Yuvraj Singh 5.3-1-9-1, Rohit Sharma 3-0-8-0.

Board President's XI (2nd innings):

Chopra lbw b Clark 6

Jaffer not out 46

Badrinath c Haddin b Lee 14

Yuvraj not out 37

Extras (b-4, nb-3): 7

Total (for 2 wkts, 35 overs): 110

Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-35.

Bowling: B Lee 9-1-30-1, S Clark 5-2-10-1, P Siddle 7-0-17-0, M Johnson 6-1-15-0, J Krejza 5-1-13-0, M Clarke 3-0-21-0. — PTI 

London, October 4
Former opener Geoffrey Boycott believes that the England team will have its best opportunity to win a Test series in India later this year as the Twenty20 Champions are in a state of flux where senior players are prolonging their careers just to fetch some more endorsement deals.

England will come over to India in November to play a seven-match ODI series and two Test matches.

In his column in The Telegraph, Boycott wrote that with the Indian team in a transition stage, England will have the best opportunity to win a Test series in the Indian sub-continent.

''A tour of India is traditionally considered one of the toughest assignments in the global calendar. Yet, I believe it would be a mistake for England to go out there next month with the aim of scrapping their way to a draw.

''This Indian team is in flux. They can be beaten, if you go hard at them. And, this is as good a time to try,'' Boycott wrote.

He further added that the senior players in the Indian team are no more a force to reckon with and prolonging their international careers for their own financial interests. ''India's new chairman of selectors, Kris Srikkanth, faces a huge quandary. The great Indian batsmen are long in the tooth and approaching the end of their careers.

''Some of them are desperate to prolong their international lifespans, not because they love the game, but probably due to the endorsement deals available. But, none of them are the force they once were,'' he added.

Boycott went on to write that the recent defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka, where the spin duo of Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Murlitharan demolished them, has sabotaged the confidence of the Indian batsmen who are considered to be great players of spin.

''Think of that period in the early part of this decade, when Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly reached their peak together. Shane Warne went to India three times and averaged over 40. They just batted him out of the game.

''Which is very different to what we saw this summer, when the Sri Lankan spinners, Muttiah Muralidaran and Ajantha Mendis, got on top of the Indian batsmen.

''That series, which Sri Lanka won 2-1, will have had a major effect on their confidence,'' Boycott wrote. — UNI 

Chennai, October 4
As though celebrating his selection in Team India for the first two Tests against the touring Aussies, leg spinner Amit Mishra produced a dream spell claiming six wickets for 81 runs as India A dismissed New Zealand A for 315 in their first innings.

India A were 162 for 3 in the first innings at stumps on the second day of the second four-day first class match against the Kiwis here today.

Opener M Vijay (76, nine fours and two sixes) and Chateswar Pujara (49, four fours) were at the crease with India A still 153 runs behind the Kiwis first innings score.

The cynosure of all eyes - former captain Sourav Ganguly - however, failed to impress the national selectors, who had asked him to play this game to test his form and fitness, having picked him for the first two Tests against the Aussies from October 9.

The stylish left hander had two good hits to the fence but fell cheaply for 14 off 39 balls before running himself out. He called Vijay the striker for a run after the latter played the ball to midwicket. But before Sourav could complete the run, Marshall threw down the stumps with a direct hit.

Earlier, Amit Mishra ran through the Kiwis when they resumed their first innings from a strong position at the overnight score of 270 for 3. Barring Greg Hay (49, eight fours) and J. Marshall (31, two fours), the remaining Kiwi batsmen fell like nine pins to Mishra who bowled 35 overs in five spells and medium pacers R.P. Singh (2-57) and R. Jadeja (2-50).

The Indians too lost the wickets of opener S. Kukreja (0), skipper Suresh Raina (11) and Sourav (14). — UNI

Scoreboard

New Zealand A (1st innings):

Redmond b RP Singh 105

Guptill c Pujara b Mishra 80

Fulton c Saha b Mishra 5

Hay lbw b RP Singh 49

Marshall c Jadeja b Mishra 31

Watling c Saha b Mishra 10

Young lbw b Jadeja 13

McCullum lbw b Mishra 7

Scott lbw b Jadeja 0

Boult not out 0

O'Brien lbw b Mishra 0

Extras (b 3, lb 7, w 1, nb 4): 15

Total (all out; 120 overs): 315

Fall of wickets: 1-190, 2-195, 3-229 , 4-275, 5-285 , 6-305, 7-314, 8-315, 9-315, 10-315

Bowling: RP Singh 21-7-57-2; AB Dinda 19-4-48-0; P Sangwan 15-3-55-0; A Mishra 35-12-81-6; RA Jadeja 24-8-50-2; SK Raina 6-1-14-0

India A (1st innings):

Kukreja c Young b Boult 0

Vijay not out 76

Raina lbw b Scott 11

Ganguly run out 14

Pujara not out 49

Extras (b 10, lb 1, nb 1): 12

Total (3 wickets; 62 overs): 162

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-24, 3-96

Bowling: IE O'Brien 11-4-25-0; TA Boult 13-4-29-1; BE Scott 13-5-24-1; NL McCullum 21-4-55-0; AJ Redmond 3-0-15-0; MJ Guptill 1-0-3-0.  

Mumbai, October 4
Putting up a superlative display in the second half, Chirag United of Kolkata outclassed Durand Cup champions Mahindra United 3-1 in the ONGC I-League football tie at the Cooperage ground here today.

Down by an early opening half goal scored with a header by Sushil Kumar Singh, Chirag United came back storming into the match in the latter half by pumping in two snap goals within the first eight minutes of play to lead 2-1 in the 53rd minute against the 2005-06 League winners from Mumbai.

Chirag, a promoted team, equalised through their foreign import Subair Muritala Ali within the first minute after crossing over and then went ahead seven minutes later through their ebulliant striker Gauranga Dutta.

The Kolkata team then held their rivals at bay with some outstanding midfield play in which Snehasish Chakraborty and substitute Hardeep Singh caught the eye before sealing the local giants' fate with a superb strike with three minutes left through Hardeep.

Chirag, who lost their lung-opener against Kolkata's glamour outfit East Bengal 1-3, opened their points tally while keeping Mahindra without a point to their credit by handing out to the latter their second straight defeat in the league.

Hyderabad, October 4
With Jason Krejza failing to convince that he has it in him to trouble the Indian batsmen in the forthcoming Test series, Australia today decided to rush in Victorian all-rounder Cameron White as replacement for injured spinner Bryce McGain.

Cricket Australia's National Selection Panel Chairman Andrew Hilditch, currently with the team here for its four-day tour match against Board President's XI, said White would provide a good balance to the side in the Test series against India.

"Bryce McGain's long-term unavailability due to a shoulder injury gives his fellow Victorian right-arm leg-spinner Cameron White an opportunity to join the Australian Test squad in India," Hilditch said.

"We feel that Cameron's right-arm leg spin and experience in Indian conditions, where he has just returned after captaining the Australia A one-day team to a tournament victory, is the correct option and will provide a good balance to our slow bowling attack.

"Cameron's bowling has continued to improve over the past year at interstate level and his powerful batting adds extra depth and versatility to the squad," he added.

Interestingly, the team think-tank had initially enough faith in rookie off-spinner Jason Krejza and decided not to rush in a substitute immediately after McGain was ruled out.

Krejza, however, failed to convince, going wicketless and taking quite a battering in the first innings of the ongoing warm-up match, which prompted the selectors to draft in White.

Krejza's 20 overs went for 123 runs and the offie did not meet success in the first innings. Though coach Tim Nielsen sought to defend him, Indian leggie Piyush Chawla hinted the youngster would have a tough time in the Test series against India.

Hilditch, meanwhile, said White's call-up was the just reward for his consistence performance throughout the year.

"Cameron has performed well in Australian colours since his return to the one-day international squad earlier this year and he has now been rewarded with inclusion in the Test squad," he said.

White will meet the Australian squad in Bangalore on Monday ahead of the first Test starting on Thursday. — PTI 

New Delhi, October 4
The Indian u-16 team made a disastrous start in their AFC Championship campaign with a 2-5 defeat at the hands of South Korea in their Group B opening match in Tashkent today.

India, who had high hopes of finishing among the top three to qualify for the World Cup next year after a fine performance in the qualification round, were found wanting in all departments of the game against the 2002 champion rivals at MHSK Stadium in the Uzbekistan capital.

Colin Toal's boys never recovered from an early goal (3rd minute) when Kim Dong Jin fired a 20-yarder following a free kick.

The Koreans pumped in four more goals in the second session via Lee Chang (49, 61), Rim Chang Wo (52) and Son Heung Min (72).

For India, Lalrindika scored both the goals in 69th and 88th minutes, finding the Korean net in identical fashion from free kicks just outside the box.

India will now have to beat Syria on Monday if they want to have any chance of making it to the knock-out stage, before taking on the less fancied Indonesia in their last group match on October 8.

Syria had finished fourth in the last edition in 2006 in Singapore besides reaching the knock-out stage of the Under-17 World Cup in South Korea last year.

Two teams each from the four four-team groups would make the quarterfinals and top three teams from the competition will make it to the Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria next year.

India had their chances to equalise in the first half when Abhishek Das beat the Korean goalkeeper but his feeble shot missed the right post by inches in the 27th minute. — PTI

New Delhi, October 4
New Zealander Mark Brown, currently leading the race to be Asia's No. 1, will battle it out with nine past champions, in the 45th Indian Open Golf Championship, to be held at the Delhi Golf Club course here from October 9 to 12.

The 33-year-old Brown had finished joint fifth in the Hero Honda-sponsored event last year, but later he improved his form tremendously to win the SAIL Open and the Johnnie Walker Classic. And this time around, he will be looking for a top finish.

The championship, carrying a prize money of $1 million, with the winner slated to pocket $158,500 and the runner-up standing to benefit $108,500, will have the best-ever field.

The star names to vie for the title include thrice champion and title holder Jyoti Randhawa, former champions Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, Mardan Mamat of Singapore, Mike Cunning of the USA, Vijay Kumar, Ali Sher and Feroze Ali, and twice runner-up Daniel Chopra.

Jeev Milkha Singh, who has also confirmed his participation, has never won the championship, and he would be looking forward to erase that blot from his otherwise impressive collection of titles.

Hoshiarpur, October 4
Hosts Punjab and Mizoram will meet in the final of the 31st Sub-Junior National Football Championship for Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy in Mahilpur on October 6.

In the semifinals played today at the Principal Harbhajan Stadium here, hosts Punjab eked out a hard-fought 1-0 verdict over Goa.

After a barren first session, Punjab managed to score a goal in the 46th minute. Sarbjit pounced on a rebound off the Goa goalkeeper and shot into the goal which turned out to be the winner.

In the second semifinal, Mizoram got the better of Assam 2-1. The Assamese opened the account through Hitler in the 7th minute. Mizoram restored parity in the 17th minute through Lalnunmawia.

Lalnunmawia again scored in the 64th minute to steer his team into the finals.
— UNI

Silicon Valley (US), October 4
American football legend O.J. Simpson was today found guilty of kidnapping and armed robbery of two sports-memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel, 13 years after he was acquitted in the sensational double murder case of his ex-wife and her friend.

61-year-old Simpson, who faces possible life imprisonment, will be sentenced on December 5 after he was convicted by a jury in Las Vegas of storming into a down-market casino hotel last year along with a gun-totting group and seizing sports memorabilia from the two dealers worth thousands of dollars.

Simpson and his co-defendant, Clarence Stewart (54), were both convicted of the robbery at the gun-point and kidnapping and 10 other counts. Both defendants, who were handcuffed, were taken into custody after they were pronounced 'guilty'.

Four of their former co-defendants agreed to plead guilty to lesser charges and testified for the prosecution.

The verdicts means Simpson faces a possible life sentence for a six-minute confrontation with the two sports memorabilia dealers, the Los Angeles Times reported. Simpson's attorneys pledged to appeal.

The jury comprising nine women and three men deliberated more than 13 hours to reach the verdict.

A grim-faced Simpson sat quietly and showed little emotion at the defence table as the courtroom clerk read the verdict.

He told CNN over the phone before the verdict was read that he was "apprehensive." Simpson's lawyer, Yale Galanter, alleged that the Hall of Fame football star was a target of investigators from the very beginning. The case "has taken on a life of its own because of Simpson's involvement," he was quoted as saying. — PTI

BRIEFLY

Chennai
Srikkanth happy with youngsters' progress: Chief selector K Srikkanth on Saturday said he was happy with the way youngsters like leg spinner Amit Mishra, included in the Indian squad for the first two Tests against Australia, are shaping up. Srikkanth, who is here to watch the India A's four-day match against New Zealand A was also impressed with Tamil Nadu batsman M Vijay and medium pacer Ashok Dinda’s performance. "It's good to see youngsters coming up. Mishra and Dinda have bowled well... then there is Vijay," Srikkanth, who watched the second day's proceedings with co-selector Raja Venkat, said after the draw of stumps. 
— PTI

Mysore
Abhinav plans to open 500 schools: India's first-ever Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra's family on Saturday announced plans to establish 500 super speciality training schools across the country. In appreciation of the gesture shown by Karnataka government in offering 50 acres of land for the school, A.S. Bindra, Abhinav's father, told reporters here that the first school would come up in the state. The family here on invitation of the Karnataka Government. — PTI

Lahore
Mushtaq may become England's spin coach: Former leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed is eyeing the post of spin bowling coach in the English cricket set-up and said he could soon hear something positive in this regard from the ECB. Mushtaq, who recently announced his retirement from first-class cricket, expressed confidence that he could help English spinners if the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) appoints him. The Pakistani, who has also played for English county Sussex, told Pak Passion that he could soon hear about the offer from the ECB. 
— UNI

Hong Kong
Indian skaters win 7 medals: Pratima Dagar clinched three silver as India bagged seven medals in the 1st Hong Kong National Day International Inline Skating Championship here. Apart from Pratima, Shivang Khule and Sanika Gulavani were the other medal winners for India in the four-nation event which was held on September 28. Khule won two silver and a bronze, while Gulavani took a bronze medal. — UNI

KAITHAL
National ball badminton meet begins: The Ball Badminton Sub-junior National Championship began here on Saturday. In the opening match, Maharashtra boys beat Delhi 29-6, 29-4. In other matches, Andhra beat Orissa 29-10, 28-16; Chandigarh beat Haryana 29-11, 29-11; Maharashtra beat HP 29-2, 29-5. In the girls section, Karnataka beat Pondicherry 29-3, 29-1 and Chandigarh beat HP 29-14, 29-4. — OC