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Ganguly leads India for one last time; Kumble receives trophy
Nagpur, November 10 As Sourav Ganguly was inching closer to his last few moments in international cricket against Australia today, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni asked the former skipper to lead the team in the field and then called up Anil Kumble to jointly receive the Border-Gavaskar trophy with him here today.
He rode every storm: Tendulkar
Greats flay Ponting, CA seeks explanation
‘I see a lot of myself in Dhoni’
Ranji Round-Up
Manish, Sangram battle it out for HP
Sania in trouble for insulting national anthem
Jr Hockey
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A magnificent moment
Nagpur, November 10 After setting the visitors a daunting target of 382 for victory, the Indians exploited a turning fifth day track to skittle out the Aussies for 209 just before the tea break to wrap up the four-match series with a 2-0 margin. It turned out to be a perfect gift for Sourav Ganguly by his teammates in his farewell Test as they knocked out the Aussies in just about two sessions of play on the last day. Only Matthew Hayden stood bravely amidst the ruins with a 93-ball 77 as the Indian bowlers ripped through the batting line up to bring an end to the Australian innings rather quickly. Leg spinner Amit Mishra (3/27) and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh (4/64) were the main destructors for the hosts who made amends for losing the home series 1-2 in the 2004-05 series. Opener Hayden, let off twice in his 30s, showed the most defiance from the tourists' ranks and top-scored with 77 off 93 balls with eight fours and a six before being fifth out and the end came swiftly after the departure of the Queenslander midway into the second session. Fast bowler Ishant Sharma took the first two of three Australian wickets to set India on their way to a deserving victory after which the spin duo of Harbhajan and Mishra spun a web of deceit to skittle the rest. The end came when last man Mitchell was declared out leg before offering no shot to Harbhajan Singh before tea. Australia lost their wickets at regular intervals after a fighting partnership between Hayden and Hussey was broken by young Mishra who had the latter caught at slip by Rahul Dravid who had a forgettable match with the bat and as a slip fielder too. India, thus, finished on a victorious note to give a fitting send-off to Sourav Ganguly who had announced before the commencement of the series in Bangalore on October 9 that he will quit the game after this series. The former India skipper, who missed the chance to score a century in his farewell appearance after having started his Test career with a bang a debut ton at Lord's in 1996 faded from the limelight with the happiness that he was part of a victorious team at the end. He was chaired off the ground after being hugged by all his teammates and the Australian players and was also greeted by retired captain Anil Kumble who has returned here from Bangalore to see the finale. Tendulkar joins 100-catch club Sachin Tendulkar today joined the list of players who have taken 100 or more catches in Test cricket when he pouched a dolly offered to him at mid-on by Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin on the last day of the fourth and final Test here today. The batting maestro, who holds several batting records in Tests and ODIs, reached the milestone in his 154th Test to follow compatriots Rahul Dravid (179), Sunil Gavaskar (108), VVS Laxman and Mohd Azharuddin (105) into the record book. The world record for the most number of catches in a Test career, 181 in 128 matches, stands in the name of Mark Waugh of Australia. — PTI Australia fined for slow over-rate The Australian team was fined 10 per cent, while captain Ricky Ponting was fined 20 per cent of his match fee after his side was found guilty of maintaining a slow over rate against India here. Match referee imposed the fines after Australia was ruled to be two overs short of its target when time allowances were taken into consideration during their 172-run defeat in the fourth Test. In accordance with the ICC Code of Conduct regulations governing over rate penalties, players are fined five per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount. As such, Ponting was fined 20 per cent of his match fee while his players have each received 10 per cent fines. — UNI Scoreboard India (first Innings): 441 Australia (first Innings): 355 India (second Innings): 295 Australia (second innings) Hayden lbw b Harbhajan 77 Katich c Dhoni b Sharma 16 Ponting run out 8 Clarke c Dhoni b Ishant 22 Hussey c Dravid b Mishra 19 Watson c Dhoni b Harbhajan 9 Haddin c Tendulkar b Mishra 4 White not out 26 Krejza st Dhoni b Mishra 4 Lee c Vijay b Harbhajan 0 Johnson lbw b Harbhajan 11 Extras: (b-6, lb-1, w-4, nb-2) 13 Total (all out, 50.2 overs) 209 Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-37, 3-82, 4-150, 5-154, 6-161, 7-178, 8-190, 9-191, 10-209. Bowling: Zaheer 8-0-57-0, Ishant 9-0-31-2, Harbhajan 18.2-2-64-4, Sehwag 4-0-23-0, Mishra 11-2-27-3.
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Ganguly leads India for one last time; Kumble receives trophy
Nagpur, November 10 Ganguly was invited to lead the team by Dhoni for last few overs when India needed just one wicket to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar trophy. The former captain was once again seen placing the fieders and the extraordinary gesture from Dhoni further proved the respect and camaraderie that the members of this team have for each other. Dhoni also invited his predecessor Kumble to come up and jointly receive the trophy which India won defeating Australia 2-0 today. Kumble was India's captain for this series but the leg spinner abruptly announced his retirement on the fifth day of the third Test at Delhi. Ganguly, who made 85 and 0 in the two innings of his last Test, was given a fitting reception by his teammates as the the players lined up in two rows when their former captain took the field in the morning.
— UNI |
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He rode every storm: Tendulkar
Nagpur, November 10 Torn between the thrill of a series win over world champions Australia and the emotion of the graceful left-hander's retirement, the Indian players first raised their arms joyously and then, realising this will be the last time they would be with Ganguly on the field, rushed to hug him. Then two players whose careers he had helped shape as captain, Harbhajan Singh and V V S Laxman, lifted him as others cheered. People in the stands rose to cheer both the Indian win as also the country's most successful captain who had bid farewell to the game to which he contributed so much. "He rode every storm"--this comment by Sachin Tendulkar, Ganguly's partner in arguably the greatest opening partnership in one-day cricket, aptly summarised the feelings of his teammates. In many ways the 36-year-old has been the stormy petrel of the Indian cricket for six years as captain courageous who taught his wards not not to turn the other cheek. The image of a bare-chested Ganguly waving his India shirt from the hallowed balcony of the Lord's dressing room after India's triumph in the NatWest trophy six years ago will ever remain etched in the memory of his countless followers. In his farewell, Ganguly characteristically did not not betray any emotion. A faint smile crossed his lips; he was perhaps savouring the moment. Some 24 hours ago he had been unable to hide his utter disappointment when he returned to the pavilion a sad man after getting a first-ball duck in his final Test innings. For nearly 20 minutes yesterday he did not not take off his pads as if hoping to be recalled to the wicket for one last innings so that he could go in a blaze of glory. Never one to mince words Ganguly said after the match that his legacy was that he had raised India's image in the world cricket especially as a touring side. He did not not believe in the "drawing board", he said recalling that he believed in doing things on the play field. The departure of Ganguly and days earlier that of Anil Kumble meant that the torch had passed on to a younger generation of leadership. This was not not a worry for Ganguly. "I see a lot of myself in (M S ) Dhoni", he said of the new captain. Captaincy, he reminded everyone, was a task. It is not not just about being a good player. "Dhoni does not not like meetings. In fact, he sees things better than me. He has also had a bit of luck that a captain needs." "He is special, truly special", said Tendulkar of his former teammate. Millions of cricket lovers could not not agree more.
— PTI
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India-Australia Test series
Australia's brave effort to win the Test and with it level the series was doomed from the moment Ricky Ponting put self before country on the fourth day.
At tea time India were down and virtually out, and if Australia had dismissed India within a 40 to 60 runs window then not only would they have had less runs to chase, but also more overs in which to do so. The jaw dropped when Ponting instead of giving the ball to Brett Lee or Shane Watson who had bowled so well and got the early Indian wickets till then, gave the ball to part-time bowlers Cameron White and Mike Hussey. We were told that it was because of the slow over rate which would not only entail a fine for the team but also a ban for the captain from the next Test, that made the Australian skipper give the ball to the part-timers to try and make up the slow over rate. That allowed Dhoni and Harbhajan to repair the hole that the Indian team had got into, and get them out of trouble. Both got half centuries that they will remember more than the other fifties because these helped the team to recover and get them to safety. Even then with Australia's batting line up being a long one, it was an outside chance that Australia could get those runs if they had two good partnerships of more than 100 runs each. The pitch had not deteriorated much though there were some rough areas just outside the right-hander's side at the pavilion end. The Australian intentions were clear from the first over itself when Simon Katich, who likes to play himself in, started batting as if it was a T20 match. Not being used to it, he perished soon and then Amit Mishra's brilliant piece of fielding saw the Australian skipper being run out, and with that any chance Australia had was gone. Clarke who wasn't well came with a runner, but it is debatable how long he would have lasted in such a condition. Hayden playing his last Test in India tried gamely but he was denied a century this time. The Indians thus have not allowed him to get a century in India on two successive tours after his 'dhoom dhamaka' in 2001. These little individual targets are important for a team to have as they diminish the opponent's strength considerably. The Indians would no doubt have loved to deny Ponting a century in India, but he came in to bat in the first over in Bangalore and got his eye in against the seam bowlers before his nemesis Harbhajan was introduced by Anil Kumble. Thinking out of the box is what makes Mahendra Singh Dhoni such a shrewd captain. He had Harbhajan open the bowling here at Nagpur because he had seen how Krejza had got the ball to turn, and though it did not get immediate success it made the Australians think how to tackle seam from one end and spin from the other. Dhoni also held Mishra back and brought him on when he knew the middle order batsman would go after him and the leggie picked up three wickets, which will do his confidence a world of good after his ordinary showing in Delhi. Harbhajan too got the confidence to bowl the 'doosra' and he did it brilliantly to send back the dangerous looking Hayden and the Australians were gone after that. It was a terrific victory and full credit not just to the team but the coach Gary Kirsten who had prepared meticulously for this series. India will have to guard against complacency, for only consistency is what makes World Champions as the Australians have shown over the last decade and a half.
— PMG |
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Greats flay Ponting, CA seeks explanation
Melbourne, November 10 In a bid to speed up Australia's sluggish over-rate - which could have earned him a one Test ban - Ponting rested his regular bowlers in yesterday's final session and operated mostly with the part-timers. Ponting's ploy to escape the ban let India off the hook after the hosts, struggling at 166 for six at one stage, found themselves in a spot of bother. Cricket Australia is far from amused and CA Chief Executive James Sutherland said the board would seek an explanation from Ponting. "I haven't had a chance to talk to Ricky today about what went on during the tea break and what the messages were that came from the umpires," Sutherland was quoted as saying by the Australian Associated Press (AAP). "I'd like to understand the situation, I'm not going to stand here and make comment about a situation without having a full understanding of what actually the circumstances were," Sutherland added. The CA chief said he would talk to the International Cricket Council about the slow over-rate issue. "In a broad sense, I have major concerns about over rates in international cricket. Generally speaking, the public deserves more by way of over rates and that's certainly something we'll be taking up with the ICC." Sutherland, however, ruled out any sanction against Ponting. "I don't think that's going to happen," he said. Ponting also drew flak from the media and former greats for his "selfish" ploy to escape a ban for the first Test against New Zealand. 'Herald Sun', a daily, said Ponting should hang his head in shame for thinking of saving himself first. "Ponting had every reason to hang his head in shame after allowing India to escape the noose in the crunch fourth Test. "In his most embarrassing moment in his 48th Test as captain in five years in charge, Ponting opted to worry more about improving Australia's sluggish over-rate than going for broke to try and snare a must-win match when a result was clearly on the line.
— PTI |
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‘I see a lot of myself in Dhoni’
Nagpur, November 10 “He has done fantastically well. Captaincy is a task, it’s not just about being a good player. He will be tested when India plays abroad and if the boys do well under him then it will be great. I am sure he will take Indian cricket forward,” said Ganguly, whose last Test saw India clinching the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by winning the fourth and final match. “I did what I felt was right. I’m a captain who did not believe in the drawing board but react to what happens on the field of play. I see a lot of myself in Dhoni. He also doesn’t like meetings. In fact he sees things better than me. He has also had a bit of luck that a captain needs,” he added. Ganguly said a captain is only as good as his team but he did have a huge role to play in enhancing India’s reputation. “Most important thing is that a captain is as good as a player. Raising India’s image in world cricket especially as a touring side is my legacy in Indian cricket. We, at present, are a formidable side both home and away,” he said. Ganguly said he would not be missing the Indian dressing room as he was leaving with happy memories of being part of a team that beat the world’s best side 2-0 in the series.
— PTI |
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Ranji Round-Up Mohali, November 10 Electing to bat after winning the toss, Rajasthan made a wretched start as they lost the top four wickets with the total reading just nine. They were able to consolidate little as finally they were shot out for a palrty total of 133. In reply, Punjab were comfortably placed at 115/2 at the end of day’s play, with opener, and last match’s centurion, Sunny Sohal (66) and Uday Kaul (9) still at the crease. J & K restrict Goa Margao: Jammu and Kashmir restricted Goa to 260 for eight on the opening day of the Ranji trophy plate 'A' group match at the MCC ground. Captain's knock of 93 runs by Asnodkar, studded with 13 fours and a six, saved the Goan innings after initial collapse. After winning the toss, Jammu and Kashmir opted to field. The two opener batsmen, Sagun Kamat and captain Asnodkar played cautiously and made a partnership of 56 runs for opening wicket before Sagun Kamat was bowled by Pranav Mahajan on 20. Later, hosts lost three quick wickets of top order batsmen, Sahil Dhuri (0), J Arun Kumar (13), Ajay Ratra (0). — UNI
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Manish, Sangram battle it out for HP
Dharamsala: Sangram Singh and Mukesh Sharma propped up Himachal on the first day Ranji trophy match with Kerela that started here today. Kerala won the toss and decided to field first. Manish Gupta and Sangram Singh opened the inning for Himachal. Kerela struck early when T Yohannan bowled Manish Gupta for just 3 runs. Sangram Singh, however, went on to complete his half century. He scored an impressive 72 before mistiming a stroke and being caught by Shreekumar Nair.
Mukesh Sharma was the other Himachal batsman who impressed making a well-struck 78. He was still at the crease when the days play ended. For Kerala, Yohannan was the most successful bowler as he claimed three wickets for 59 runs. At the end of day Himachal were 312 for seven. |
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Ahmedabad, November 10 Earlier in the evening Inzamam, won the toss & choose to field first. Chennai finally folded their innings on a healthy 165/7 in their allotted 20 overs. For the Lahore side Naved with 3/30 & Saqlain with 2/26 emerged as the most successful bowlers. For the Badshahs a clinical 87-run partnership for the fourth wicket, powered by a 62 run knock from the Lahore skipper Inzamam saw the Lahore Badshahs romp home to a 6 wicket victory. Brief Scores: Chennai Superstars: 165 (Sathish 37, Badani 37; Rana Naved 3/30, Saqlain 2/26) Lahore Badshahs: 168 (Inzamam 62, Farhat 46; Sathish 2/34, Jesuraj 1/34). — Agencies
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Sania in trouble for insulting national anthem
Lucknow, November 10 The matter came up in the court of ACJM II Sumit Chandra who has fixed November 14 for recording the statement of the complainant. The petitioner, an LLB student Mohammad Faizyab Khan, has pressed charges under section III of the ‘Prevention of Insult to National Honor Act’ 1971 against the tennis player. This is a non-bailable offence with maximum punishment up to three years. Speaking to The Tribune from Muzzafarnagar, Khan said he was present during the concluding event of the international women’s tennis tournament in the city on November 8. “It was so distressing to see that while everyone present stood in attention while the national anthem was played Sania Mirza stood casually with her arms crossed. She was even talking to her mother who stood next to her. All this has been captured by the media cameras”, said Khan. He is ready to take back his petition if the tennis player tenders a public apology. Earlier, in 2007 Mirza was involved in another controversy while shooting for an advertisement film on the premises of historic Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad. The mosque management had lodged a complaint seeking action against her and she had to tender an unconditional apology. |
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Jr Hockey Lahore, November 10 ''It is very disappointing that the tournament had to be cancelled even though all the arrangements were made and everybody was eagerly looking forward to the series,'' Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) chief Qasim Zia told mediapersons in Karachi today. The bilateral series was being seen as a preparation for the Junior World Cup to be played in Singapore and Malaysia in June this year. The five matches were scheduled to be played in Karachi Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Sialkot and the last match was be played here on November 21. Zia further informed that the Indian team had already reached Amritsar today and were soon to cross the Wagah border but the team authorities refused to give them clearance and stopped them. ''We feel let down by India,'' said Zia who is also a former Olympian and added that he had nothing against the Indian hockey Federation. ''The Indian federation did all it could to save the series but its hands were tied. It's the Indian government that decided that the team should not go to Pakistan,'' he stated. The tournament was scheduled to begin at the refurbished Hockey Club in Karachi under flood lights but will now be replaced with two exhibition games to be played between Pakistan Juniors and Pakistan veterans. — UNI
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