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Does Murali chuck? Gilly says ‘yes’
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Gambhir’s ban upheld
Ponting denies sledging
Hussey to play for Super Kings
Delhi make solid start
Dogra props up Himachal
Punjab to host national forest games
Ferozepur clinch archery gold
MP beat Orissa in basketball
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Does Murali chuck? Gilly says ‘yes’
Sydney, November 4 Gilchrist, in his autobiography 'True Colours', minced no words in saying Muralitharan chucked the ball and alleged that the International Cricket Council protected him after Sri Lankan authorities interpreted questioning of his bowling action as a 'racial attack'. "'Does Murali chuck the ball?' ... I thought for a few moments, and then said, cautiously: 'I think he does'," Gilchrist said referring to a question posed to him. "I say that because, if you read the laws of the game, there's no doubt in my mind that he and many others throughout cricket history have," he wrote. The former Australian vice-captain lamented that the ICC changed the rules to accommodate Murali instead of rectifying his fault when he was first caught for the offence in mid '90s. "I will take opportunity to clarify what I think about Murali and his action. I don't back away from what I said... (But) I don't think he's personally to blame: he bowled the way he bowled, and it was not up to him to do anymore than he was asked." Gilchrist also said he was sure not many in international cricket accepted the theory of optical illusion proposed just to bail Murali out. "...there is no doubt in my mind that his arm did straighten more than the rules allowed when he started playing Test cricket in the mid-1990s... I have heard the theories about optical illusion but I don't buy them... It should have been dealt with back in 1995-96 when Darrell Hair and Ross Emerson no-balled him in Australia," Gilchrist said. The former stumper felt the real issue of suspect bowling action was overshadowed when Sri Lankan authorities gave the whole episode colour of racial vilification. "But the real issue - does he straighten his arm? — was rail-roaded by Sri Lankan cricket authorities, an Arjuna Ranatunga, turning it into a debate over race. They were threatening a walkout, and there was talk of a split in the game between 'white' and 'black' countries, because the questioning of Murali's action was interpreted as a racial attack. "This was ridiculous, as is proven when you look at the long list of bowlers, fast and slow, white and non-white, whose actions were scrutinised over the next few years and who were taken away for remedial treatment. There was no threat to split the game over these players - only over the Murali," said a fuming Gilchrist. Gilchrist said the issue worsened during Sri Lanka's 1999 tour Down Under and reached an "absurd" point when the ICC introduced the 15 degree rule. "It got even worse in 1999 when Murali was again no-balled in Australia and Ranatunga tried to take his team off the Adelaide Oval. Ranatunga was charged under the ICC Code of conduct, but turned up to his hearing with lawyers who argued that as the ICC match referee brought the charge, the same guy could not also sit in judgments on it." "Legally this was true, but morally it was a landmark moment, a direct attack on the spirit of the game... the Sri Lankans seemed to be saying 'If you hold Murali to the laws, we're going to tear the whole game apart'," Gilchrist said. The ex-Aussie vice-captain felt Murali was behind spoiling the Test career of many batsmen. "Nobody seemed to spare much thought for the batsman playing Murali. Because he was so potent, guys were losing there wickets, and eventually losing their Test careers in some cases —because of this bowler. "As much as I like Murali, my sympathies lay more with those batsmen, from every other nation, whose careers suffered because of a bowler who was in technical breach of the rules and seemed to enjoy a kind of political protection. "This reached an absurd point when the laws were changed to accommodate him. When I heard that the rules would now allow degree of straightening — 15 degrees to be exact, a fraction more than Murali's straightening had been measured at — I thought 'That's a load of horse crap. That's rubbish. He also disapproved of Murali's 'doosra' delivery, saying ICC appeared to have passed it without the required level of examination. "His doosra, the ball which spins away from the right-hander and attracted new scrutiny in 2004, seemed to be passed without any rigorous examination. "Often Australian players, having seen him bowl yet another suspect doosra past the outside edge, would look at each other in changing room and say: 'Wasn't that one meant to have been sorted out?'. — PTI
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Embattled Aussie pacers searching for clues
Sydney, November 4 The Australian pacers, spearheaded by Brett Lee, have so far been almost ineffective in their quest to get 20 Indian wickets, while the spinners have been poles apart in comparison to their Indian counterparts. The figures of Australia's fast bowlers from the first three Tests, despite their improved showing in the drawn Test in Delhi, make sobering reading. Mitchell Johnson is the best of the bowlers with 12 wickets at 34.58, and Brett Lee said yesterday the 27-year-old left-armer had carried the attack to the point where his senior teammates tried to feed off his aggression and unsettled the Indian batsmen with short balls. The umpires were forced to intervene after Johnson hurled a few words at VVS Laxman about the Indian batsman's public criticism at Australia's ''defensive'' approach to the series. ''The way Mitchell bowled with his aggression was great,'' said Lee. ''He needed to lift up a gear, we were trying to get the vibes off him. He wanted to carry the ball for Australia and get some breakthroughs,'' Lee was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herald. ''He was pretty pumped up and that was great. What we've done in the first two Tests probably hasn't worked. If you're being critical about not taking wickets, we haven't achieved that goal. ''The last Test, we tried new things and watched what India do. Sometimes they bowl short stuff, then put ball up and try to get a nick or lbw,'' he added. Stuart Clark, who missed the second Test due to an elbow injury, has just two wickets at 80.5 in 73 overs for the series, and Australian captain Ricky Ponting has indicated all three reserve bowlers - Krejza, Peter Siddle and Doug Bollinger — will come under consideration for a Test that Australia must win to level the series and keep the trophy. ''The guys on the sidelines, we have got to look long and hard at them - Bollinger, Siddle and Krejza - and see if we think they are going to add anything to our bowling group,'' Ponting said. ''We probably need to look at Jason a bit closer. He was named in the 12 (in Delhi) and I think you guys might have thought that was just for something to do, but believe me, he came very close to playing. — UNI
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Gambhir’s ban upheld
Nagpur, November 4 The ICC commissioner Justice Albie Sach’s decision not to overturn the one-match ban, slapped by match referee Chris Broad, has been conveyed to the Indian cricket Board, which has refused to accept the ruling. “The Board of Control for Cricket in India has received today at 1.30 pm the order of Justice Sachs, appeals commissioner, on the appeal of Gautam Gambhir against the decision of Chris Broad, ICC match referee imposing a one Test ban on him. “The appeals commissioner has rejected the appeal and upheld the penalty of one Test ban imposed by the ICC match referee”, the BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement. The BCCI, however, said the order had been passed without giving the player an opportunity of personal hearing and legal representation. “The order has been passed without affording the player an opportunity of personal hearing, legal representation and without acceding to his request for certain documents recordings to be given to him and also denying him an extension of time”, Srinivasan said. “On receipt of the order, the Board has refused to accept the decision of the appeals commissioner and has sent its objection to the same to ICC”, he said. Gambhir, who has been the most successful Indian batsman with 427 runs to his credit in five innings in the series so far, will not be able to play the fourth and final Test beginning here on Thursday, a prospect which will weaken the Indian batting to a great extent. Tamil Nadu opener M. Vijay, who has been quite impressive in the domestic circuit, has been drafted into the Indian squad as Gambhir’s replacement. Gambhir had received a one Test ban after being found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the third Test against Australia in New Delhi. The Delhi opener had elbowed Watson while taking a run on the opening day of the third Test match after a heated exchange with the Aussie all-rounder. “The decision to find Gambhir guilty of a level 2 offence is indicative of the fact that any degree of physical contact is unacceptable,” Broad had said while imposing the punishment. The Indian opener decided to appeal against the ban and the ICC appointed Justice Sachs to hear the appeal against the punishment. Gambhir was eligible to play the match pending the decision. Justice Sachs is a senior judge on the Constitutional Court of South Africa and is Cricket South Africa’s appointment on the ICC Code of Conduct Commission.
— PTI |
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Ponting denies sledging
Melbourne: Australian captain Ricky Ponting has refuted allegations that his under-pressure bowling attack is resorting to sledging to unnerve Indian batsmen in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Indian opener Gautam Gambhir and all-rounder Shane Watson were involved in a spat on the opening day of the drawn third Test in Delhi. Both players were pulled up by Match Referee Chris Broad, who imposed a 10 per cent match fee fine on Watson and a one-Test ban on Gambhir. Gambhir, who scored a double century in the match has appealed against the decision. He later said that Australians were trying to unsettle the Indian batsmen with their on-field chats. On the final day of the match, Mitchell Johnson hurled verbal volleys on set batsman V.V.S Laxman. The stylish Hyderabadi, who boasts of a clean disciplinary record, was so much agitated that he gave it back to the fast bowler. However, Ponting claims the number of incidents in this Test and the series is not a pointer to a wider problem. "You have got to try and work out ways and set up plans to get batsmen out. The stuff that's happening, I don't think is anything to do with that," Ponting was quoted as saying in The Australian. "If we're struggling to take wickets then that sort of stuff is not going to help you." Having failed to bowl India out once again, the Australians were trying to talk their opponents out, raising concerns about how the team will approach this week's last Test in Nagpur, which Australia must win to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the report said. "I'd like to think that those things aren't getting to us on the field. We have got a pretty clear job to do," Ponting said of his bowlers failing to make a significant impact in the series.
— IANS |
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Nagpur, November 4 Gambhir was handed a one-Test ban for elbowing Shane Watson but the Indian opening batsman decided to appeal against the punishment. The ICC appeals commissioner today upheld Gambhir’s one-match Test ban. Hussey likened Gambhir to Australia's retired opener Justin Langer and said the Delhi batsman hurt them most. "He reminds me a lot of Justin Langer, small and punchy little character but knows his game very well, lets the ball come onto the bat, glides it through the offside well and works it off his pads. He's a very good player and probably someone who's exceeded our expectations about how well he's played," Hussey said of Gambhir, who is the leading run scorer in the series so far. Hussey, however, felt that Gambhir was itching to pick up a fight with any of the Australian players to get into a fighting mindset. "He looks around for it (chat) to be honest. It hasn't been a plan of ours to go at him and talk or whatever. But he does go around the field looking to engage certain players and looking to get involved and that sort of thing," Hussey said. "So maybe that is part of his character, looking for a clash to try to pump himself up a bit more. He's always looking to engage, not so much 'good day how are you going', but an intense look and it's quite funny really," Hussey said. The Australians, meanwhile, were upset after they could not train in the ground where the Test match will be played and Hussey did not hide his disappointment. "I am someone who likes to get into the ground as early as possible, get gear set-up and all that sort of stuff, go out in the middle and have a look around because there are lots of distractions, every ground is different, so it's nice to become accustomed with those before you head out to play," he said. — PTI
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Hussey to play for Super Kings
Nagpur, November 4 WA today named a 15-man squad led by Marcus North for the inaugural Twenty20 extravaganza and the list includes Shaun Marsh, Luke Pomersbach and Luke Ronchi, whose franchises in the Indian Premier League failed to make it to the Champions League. Hussey said he took a decision to play for the Chennai Super Kings in the December 3-10 event as he did not want to block a younger player's chance to play for WA. Western Australia is set to pocket $ 200,000 from the Champions League Governing Council for releasing Hussey to play for the Chennai side. "I still don't feel comfortable with it but that may be the way the game is going in future," Hussey said.
— PTI |
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Ranji Round-Up
New Delhi, November 4 Punjab’s overnight batsmen Uday Kaul (95) and Ankur Kakkar (56) were involved in a useful 102-run sixth wicket stand as the duo frustrated the Delhi bowlers before Amit Bhandari removed the latter with the team score at 278.— UNI Scoreboard Punjab first innings
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Dogra props up Himachal
Chandigarh: Paras Dogra and Bhavin Thakkar led Himachal reply as Himachal Pradesh finished the second day of the four-day Ranji Trophy Plate League Group A match at 185 for 4 against Haryana at Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium in Rohtak today. The right-handed batsman Dogra was in good touch and batting on 61, while Mukesh was keeping his company on 20 at close. With 15 runs ahead in the first innings - Haryana were bowled out for 98 - Himachal are 200 runs ahead overall with six wickets in tact. Resuming from the overnight score of 66 for 6, Haryana innings folded after the addition of 32 runs to the total. Vikramjeet Malik added the scalp of Gaurav Vashisht to finish with a six-wicket haul, while Ashok Thakur and off-spinner Sarandeep Singh claimed two wickets each. Scoreboard Himachal (1st innings): 113
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Punjab to host national forest games
Chandigarh , November 4 The minister said more than 2,000 players and organisers from over 40 state forest departments and forestry institutions from across the country would participate in the games. He emphasised the need of such sports meets, not only for ensuring physical fitness but also in promoting a spirit of camaraderie and brotherhood in the services. “The games began in 1992 and it is a challenge to organise the games as it a big event, which requires a lot of man power, money and coordinated effort,” he said. B.C. Bala principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) said as many as 121 events would be held in various sports and games disciplines including athletics, cricket, volleyball, hockey, football, basketball, weight and power lifting, badminton, tennis, table tennis, carom, golf, billiards, snooker, bridge, rifle shooting, swimming, kabaddi etc.
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Ferozepur clinch archery gold
Moga, November 4 Harpreet Kaur of Hoshiarpur won gold in 3,000m race by finishing the target in 10.47.30 minutes while Jyoti also from Hoshiarpur won the silver by finishing in 10.49.40 minutes. Sharanjit Kaur of Gurdaspur got the bronze by clocking a time of 11.30.40 minutes. In the high jump category Parneet Kaur of Sangrur bagged the gold medal, Manpreet Kaur also of Sangrur got silver and Suman Devi of Muktsar got the bronze medal. In the javelin throw category Amandeep Kaur of Muktsar got the gold medal with a throw of 30.24 metre, Kanwaljit kaur of Gurdaspur 26.05 metre and Rajwinder Kaur of Sangrur 25.99 metre, won the silver and bronze, respectively. In the 200m race Supreet Kaur of Muktsar got the gold medal finishing the race in 25.54 seconds, Ekamjot Kaur of Ludhiana got the silver medal by clocking a time of 26.31 seconds and Kamal Kaur of Sangrur Bronze medal 27.35 seconds. In the weight lifting category (53 kg) Ramandeep Kaur of Muktsar got gold while Jaspreet Kaur of Sangrur and Harkirat Kaur of Mohali got silver and bronze medals, respectively.
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Police Games Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, November 4
Results:
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Marshall stars in Tigers’ win Chandigarh, November 4 Needing to overhaul a 162-run target set by Chennai Superstars, the duo were in irresistible form. They toyed with the rival bowling attack as Bengal Tigers romped home losing just one wicket. Former New Zealand opener Marshall was in devastating form. He hoisted three sixes and struck eight fours, clobbering a 54-ball 80 and remained unconquered. He found a willing ally in former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta. The Bengal stumper, though a shade less flamboyant, never lost out on any opportunity to score runs. Such was the domination of both the openers that Tigers, at one stage, looked like winning without losing any wicket. Former Pakistan seamer Shabbir Ahmad got the first breakthrough trapping Dasgupta lbw in the 15th over, but not before the batsman, along with Marshall, had put his team firmly on path to victory. Dasgupta scored 54. Arrival of skipper Craig McMillan meant no respite for the beleaguered bowlers. The stocky middle order batsman slammed four fours without wasting any time as Tigers coasted home without any fuss. Hemang Badani and R Sathish earlier notched up half centuries as Chennai put 161 on board before being bowled out. Former Sri Lanka leg-spinner Upul Chandana struck an early rhythm. Claiming four wickets, Chandana restricted the rivals to a manageable total. Sathish was in scorching form and hit three sixes and five fours in his 26-ball 50, while Badani scored 43-ball 55. Marshall was the obvious choice for the Man of the Match award. Brief scores: Chennai Superstars: 161 all out in 19.5 overs ( G Vignesh 22, Hemang Badani 55, R Sathish 50, Upul Chandana 4 for 38, Andre Adams 2 for 21) Royal Bengal Tigers: 162 for 1 in 19.1 overs (Hamish Marshall 80 not out, Deep Dasgupta 54, Shabbir Ahmad 1 for 33)
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Nagpur, November 4
Chandigarh, November 4
