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India seek to end 41-yr drought Sachin Tendulkar plays soccer with Rahul Dravid (R) the day before their first Test match against New Zealand. — Reuters
NZC sticks to 11am start
Dhoni wary of alien conditions
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Aggression, discipline key: Vettori
WB Govt decision
likely today
RCA panel to probe Modi’s ‘financial bungling’
WC: Indian eves lose to Kiwis
A very disappointing day: Jhulan
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India seek to end 41-yr drought
Hamilton, March 17 Barring the last ODI at Auckland, India ruthlessly dominated the five-match one-day series and if the visitors manage to maintain the same sky-high standard in the longer version as well, Dhoni and his men are almost certain to record India's first Test series victory here since Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi-led team's 3-1 triumph in 1967-68. Dhoni, however, insists the team would have to start afresh after winning the ODI series and stressed on the need to play consistently well to win the Test series. "We have to start from scratch again and perform at our best. In Tests you have to play consistent cricket over a period of time. It is not winning one session or two sessions, you have to win more sessions than the opposition in a comprehensive way," Dhoni said. His opposite number Daniel Vettori admitted India thoroughly outplayed them in the ODI series but felt winning the last one dayer lifted the team morale. "It was nice for us to finish on a winning note, but we still understand that we have been outplayed and haven't lived up to our own expectations", Vettori said. "We can take a bit of momentum into the Test series. It's going to be a massive challenge with (Sachin) Tendulkar, (Rahul) Dravid and (VVS) Laxman coming back into the mix," he said. The track at the Seddon Park looks green and bouncy enough to warm the hearts of the bowlers and New Zealand would bank on their seam bowlers to rein in India's intimidating batting line-up. The job, however, would not be easy. India had a deplorable tour in 2002-03 -- when the highest they could muster was 219 -- but things have changed a lot since then and Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman and Virender Sehwag have the skill and experience to collar the Kiwi attack. Sehwag has been New Zealand's thorn-in-the-flesh since he landed here and he is not content yet. His Delhi teammate Gautam Gambhir is no dud with the bat either and if they start firing from both ends, Kiwi bowlers would be in for a tough time. In case the hosts manage to tame the Delhi duo, New Zealand will still have to deal with India's middle order stalwarts Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman. Down the order, Yuvraj Singh too seems interested in rediscovering himself as a Test batsman. In the bowling department too, India seems to enjoy the edge with Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma forging a potent new ball pair. Comeback man Lakshmipathy Balaji is already itching to prove his worth. In contrast, the Kiwi batting line-up does not inspire the same awe. Interestingly, Ross Taylor (14), Jesse Ryder (6), Daniel Flynn (9), Tim McIntosh (2) and Brendon McCullum (41) have played barely 72 Tests between them, half the number of matches that Tendulkar (156) has played in. —
PTI |
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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials flexed their financial muscle in New Zealand again today, seeking to accommodate broadcaster Sony Entertainment Television's request to start play at 12 p.m. instead of 11 a.m. during the three-Test cricket series. A New Zealand Press Association report said that New Zealand Cricket and Sony were locked in discussions till late today after NZC's broadcasting partner wanted the first Test here at Seddon Park to start an hour later. However, Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's concern about the unconventional 12 noon start to the first Test has been put to rest by New Zealand Cricket, which has decided to stick to the original start time of 1100 hrs (local time). NZC confirmed that play will start at the scheduled time of 11am at Seddon Park, here tomorrow, a PTI report said. Earlier, Sony contacted NZC with a request to start at midday so they could maximise viewership in the sub-continent. However, if the change was agreed upon, the first ball will still be bowled at the 4.30 a.m. in India. And had the NZC and New Zealand-based broadcaster Sky TV agreed to the change, play will continue up to 7 p.m. Earlier this summer, the two-Test series against the West Indies also started at the unusual time of midday to satisfy Sony, who last year signed a multi-million dollar broadcasting deal with NZC to beam New Zealand's international to India. Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said he would be surprised if the start time was delayed. "It will be very different for us, playing at night it seems. It will be difficult, I've not played a test that's starts at 12." The request for a time change is the latest example of Sony and/or the BCCI exerting their power during this tour. — ANI
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Dhoni wary of alien conditions
Hamilton, March 17 Despite clinching the one-day series 3-1, Dhoni believes the Tests would be a different ball game and conditions would define which way the match veers. "Over here the weather changes in 15-20 minutes. All of a sudden from being sunny it becomes cloudy. So it will be an important element in our decision to bat or bowl first," Dhoni said today. "If the wicket is a bit damp, and it is a bit cloudy, that is the toss you want to win. But definitely that one-and-a-half hour will help the seamers," the wicketkeeper-batsman said. However, Dhoni made it clear that players would have to adapt to the conditions. "At the end of they day you have to adapt, whether you are a youngster or a senior. Of course, the youngsters will be guided by the seniors, but ultimately they are the ones who will have to perform." The 27-year-old Dhoni felt the wicket and conditions would help seam bowlers. "It looks like a good wicket. Definitely there will be a bit of help for the fast bowlers. More than the wicket, the conditions will favour bowlers, as the ball will move. The base looks quite hard." That's the reason the India captain is planning to go in with a three-pronged pace attack. With Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan picking themselves, he is yet to decide whom to play as the third seamer in the first Test. "We still have not decided, so we are not announcing the 12 yet. We will see who is the best bowler and who is better right now, and accordingly we will pick the third seamer," he said. India have not won a Test series in New Zealand in 41 years and Dhoni is aware that to set things right, his bowlers would have to put in a massive effort. — PTI
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Aggression, discipline key: Vettori
Hamilton, March 17 "If you look at the Indian top-order, it is very impressive through their weight of games and weight of runs. We know we are up against it, but we always fancy ourselves in our own conditions," Vettori said in the pre-match press conference today. "It is going to be a real test for us and we are going to need a lot of guys within our team, not just one or two, stepping up to give ourselves a chance," he said. Vettori said apart from being aggressive, his team had to be disciplined to be able to make an impact. "You have got to take them on. The war of attrition probably won't work. I think we have got to be aggressive but in saying that, we have got to be disciplined. Those are the things we didn't quite get right in the one-day series. We didn't stick at our plans for long enough. In a Test match you just have to do that, otherwise a side like India will blow you off the park," he added. The 30-year-old Kiwis captain, who needs just 14 sticks to complete the grand double of 3000 runs and 300 Test wickets, expected the wicket to be flat. — PTI
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Jaipur, New Delhi, Vizag dropped as venues
New Delhi, March 17 The revised schedule, which was submitted to the Home Ministry today, has left out these three venues as the respective state governments could not guarantee security because of the general elections, IPL sources said today. The sources said that the new schedule has taken into consideration the security constraints of all the state governments and has been prepared in such a way that it would not hinder the election process. "We do not expect any problems now. The Home Ministry will consult the state governments and then get back to us," a top IPL official said. The multi-million dollar League has run rough weather because of security concerns in view of the general elections and the Home Ministry has already rejected two of their earlier schedules. The rejection of schedules and the Home Ministry's reluctance to provide paramilitary forces for the event had put a serious question mark on the fate of the high-profile events, slated to begin from April 10. The sources said that the hill city of Dharamsala will host a few matches while the organisers are also looking at Raipur in Chhattisgarh as a possible venue. An IPL delegation has already visited Raipur and inspected the facilities there. Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Mohali, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad will host the bulk of the matches. The IPL has also received a boost with Kolkata clarifying that it would not have any problem with revised schedule since the matches would not clash with election preparations. Desperate to get the cash-rich event on track, the IPL's top brass held a series of meetings since yesterday to fine-tune the schedule. The IPL is keen to hold the tournament between April 10 and May 24 as any postponement would mean that the event has to be shelved till this period next year in view of the crammed cricketing calendar. — PTI
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WB Govt decision
likely today
Kolkata: The West Bengal government is likely to take a decision tomorrow over the Centre's fresh proposal of holding the IPL matches in the city from April 11 to 26.
"The Ministry of Home Affairs has sent a modified schedule for holding the matches between April 11 and 26. A decision will be taken after the Chief Secretary (now in Darjeeling) returns tomorrow," state Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen told newsmen here. Asked whether any service charge would be levied from the IPL authorities for making security arrangements for the matches, he said, "it ought to be done". Earlier, the Centre had sought the state government's opinion on holding the matches in the city on April 11, 14, 16, 21, 26, besides May 2 and 4. In reply, the state government had sought additional 30 companies of
para-military for holding the match on May 4 in view of the Lok Sabha polls in the state scheduled on April 30, May 7 and 13. — PTI |
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RCA panel to probe Modi’s ‘financial bungling’
Jaipur: The newly elected Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) has set up a three-member committee, headed by a retired IAS Mahendra
Surana, to probe the alleged "financial irregularities" during the tenure of former president Lalit
Modi.
The newly constituted RCA Executive Committee, which met yesterday, formed the probe committee, RCA deputy president, Shiv Charan Mali said today. Two members of the probe committee would include an advocate and other CA, he said, adding their names would be declared soon. There were number of complaints, including one by former cricketer Anil Shekhawat, who alleged financial bugling during the last season's Indian Premier League matches, Mali said, adding even Shekhawat moved an FIR with the Jyoti Nagar Police station last month. RCA executive committee also decided to build new stadia in
Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Rajsamand and Hanumangarh, Mali said. —
PTI |
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WC: Indian eves lose to Kiwis
Sydney, March 17 After captain Jhulan Goswami won the toss and decided to bat first, India were all out for 207 in 49.4 overs. The team managed to cross 200 only for the second time in the tournament, thanks largely to Anjum Chopra's 106-ball 52 and Reema Malhotra's brisk 52-ball 59. Opener Kate Pulford led New Zealand's chase with an 89-ball 71 as the Kiwis romped to 210 for five wickets with 14 balls to spare. Today's loss leaves India, which had beaten defending champions Australia in their opening Super Six match, with two points from two matches. India are ahead of New Zealand on net run-rate but can reach the final only if they beat West Indies in their final Super Six match and hope that New Zealand lose to Pakistan and Australia lose to England. —
PTI |
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A very disappointing day: Jhulan
Sydney, March 17 "It is very difficult to lift your spirits after you know you have been knocked out of the title match. But yes, we have to motivate ourselves and try to win matches against the West Indies and Australia so that we could finish, at least, third in the tournament," Julan said at the post match press conference. Indian eves' hopes of making it to the finals of the mega event were dealt with a severe blow today after Kiwis beat them by five-wickets in a Super Six match here. "It is a very disappointing day. We worked extremely hard for the World Cup but all has gone down the drain because of one bad performance. It is a devastating blow to all of us as the next World Cup will be after four years and who know who will be there by then," she said. Today's loss leaves India with two points from as many matches. Although India are ahead of New Zealand on net run-rate, their chance of progressing to the summit clash is very slim. The Indians can reach the final only if they beat West Indies in their final Super Six match and hope that New Zealand lose to Pakistan and Australia lose to England. — PTI
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Ist Test: Hamilton at 3.30 a.m.
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