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part iI Kirsten blasts IPL
Lanka book semifinal berth
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SA add to India’s losses Sachin likely to miss WI tour
All-India Hot Weather Football
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part iI So, what was it that went wrong went on Sunday? To start with, it is debatable whether Mahendra Dhoni should have inserted England. To refuse an opportunity to bat in dry, sunny, afternoon conditions was tactically insensible. It was also a blunder because it’s always hazardous to bat against spinners flighting the ball when natural light is fading and the artificial alternative hasn’t quite taken over. The Indian camp ought to have learnt their lesson from their experience in the warm-up fixture against New Zealand. Sub-standard fielding conceded at least an additional 10 runs; while it was inexplicable why Yuvraj Singh (when there was a left-arm spinner in the side in Ravindra Jadeja) was given two overs (which cost 20 runs) and Rudra Pratap Singh (one for 13 in three) not his full quota, especially where Ishant Sharma was proving to be expensive. Moreover, Yusuf Pathan’s useful off-spin was completely ignored. The captaincy, uncommonly for Dhoni, lacked an out of the box thinking. Having hooked to his detriment against the West Indies, Rohit Sharma pulled to his tribulation versus England. No matter how promising Jadeja may be, to throw him into the deep end at 24 for two when seasoned stalwarts like Yuvraj and Dhoni himself remained in the dug-out was a baffling decision. It left both Yuvraj and Yusuf – potential match-winners - just too much to accomplish. Lord’s has provided the slowest pitch in the current WT20. Consequently, 153 on the part of England was a competitive total. But given India’s latent fire power, it was perfectly possible to chase down their target. It was necessary to play straight and into the gaps in the power play. Wickets in hand would, as always, have made their task easier. But full marks to the hosts for holding their nerves. To an authentic lover of cricket, let alone a connoisseur, the World Twenty20 is the least prestigious of the global championships. At the same time, where mass attention for this format is greater than for any other, it would be iniquitous to dismiss it, either. Where a majority of the International Cricket Council’s commercial partners for the World T20 are either Indian companies or Indian divisions of multi-national corporations, and the event is being bankrolled by a broadcasting network who derive their main revenue from Indian advertisers and sponsors, who in turn are driven by colossal Indian viewership, it effectively makes a mug of such benefactors, if India don’t figure at the business end of such a tournament. The good news for the India public, though, is that next year’s Champions Trophy in the Caribbean has been converted into a World Twenty20. Therefore, India can have another crack in the popular phenomenon sooner rather than later.
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Nottingham, June 16 “It’s a domestic competition. There are a few top cricketers and then first class cricketers making up the rest. There is a reasonably big gap between IPL and international cricket. When the best 11 players are representing a country, naturally the standard is going to go up substantially,” he said. “We are bitterly disappointed. We haven’t done something people could be proud of. I saw 15 faces in the changing room and some of them were really hurt. We have come to expect good performances and so it hurt.” — PTI
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Lanka book semifinal berth
Sri Lanka have stormed into the semifinals of the World Twenty20 with a remarkable clean slate - including a victory over Australia - in the entire competition. They now clinched their third and final match in the Super Eights by inflicting a 48-run defeat on New Zealand.
The Kiwis, set a target of 159 (thanks to contributions of 48 from Tilakaratne Dilshan and 41 not out from Mahela Jayawardene), collapsed against the Sri Lankan spinners, who not unexpectedly capitalised on an uncharacteristic Trent Bridge wicket, which generated turn in addition to its customary bounce. Predictably, Ajantha Mendis’ mixed bag of wrist and finger spin was undecipherable for the New Zealanders. The second over of the New Zealand innings, entrusted to Sanath Jayasuriya, resulted in 20 runs, including three fours and a six by Redmond — the last stroke went soaring to long off. Momentarily, the New Zealand innings flickered, when Redmond and Guptill flourished. The latter once didn’t quite get hold of an off-drive, yet obtained a maximum off Dilshan. Finally, he swept Jayasuriya unerringly to deep square leg to make his exit. Mendis bowled an uneventful first over - the 6th of the innings - but switching ends, he had Taylor stumped and Styris bowled in the same over. In the following over, a desperate cut from McGlashan only ended in the palms of backward point. Figures of three for nine said it all. Indeed, Mendis didn’t have to complete his quota as New Zealand only occupied the crease for 17 overs. Muralitharan also got into the act, capturing Vettori’s wicket. Vettori, having lost the toss, started with Brendon McCullum’s off-spin and reaped immediate dividend as the potentially dangerous Jayasuriya provided a steepler to short fine leg attempting to sweep. But Dilshan, highest run getter in the tournament, reflected this form to wrest control. The move to send Chamara Silva at number three, though, didn’t pay off as a leading edge from him landed in the ample hands of Jacob Oram at mid-on. The 3rd wicket association between Dilshan and Sangakkara stabilised the venture. 62 runs erupted till Vettori didn’t quite allow Dilshan to free his arms for a drive, which was well held by McCullum at short extra cover. Scoreboard New Zealand |
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SA add to India’s losses A sterling 63 off 51 balls from Abraham de Villiers meted a third straight defeat in as many matches to India in the Super Eights of the World Twenty20; this time by 12 runs at the hands of South Africa. Having restricted the South Africans to 130 for five, India disintegrated against spin after being 48 for none. In a last ditch endeavour, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh added 31 for the 6th wicket. But with the former adjudged caught behind off Dale Steyn by the TV umpire, the last vestige of a challenge disappeared. South Africa along with Sri Lanka thus maintained an unbeaten streak in the tournament and will take on Pakistan in the first semi-final on Thursday, while the West Indies clash with the Sri Lankans at the same stage on Friday. Gautam Gambhir launched the Indian pursuit with trademark cuts. Steyn was hit for four in the first over; Wayne Parnell for two more in the second. The Delhi left-hander gave himself room yet stepped out to the latter to lash him through the covers in the second instance. Rohit Sharma refrained from playing shots too early. But when Parnell over-pitched in the 4th over, he whipped him through midwicket. He, then, unfurled two more boundaries in Albie Morkel’s first over. The first – a full toss – he clubbed between midwicket and mid-on; the second he waited for – a slower ball – before hitting over the in-field to extra cover. But the introduction of spin immediately triggered wickets, with batsmen miscuing while attempting to irrationally attack the slow bowlers. Gambhir was caught at cover - in the first over of spin – Suresh Raina was dropped before he holed out at deep mid-on – both succumbing to Johan Botha (three for 16), bowling off-breaks - while Sharma outer edged part-time off-spinner Jean Paul Duminy to point. At 56 for three, Mahendra Dhoni joined Yuvraj. But this pair was soon separated when Dhoni, rushing out from the non-striker’s end for a single, failed to regain his crease. In the very next over, the 14th, Yusuf Pathan pushed a ball that stopped on him to be caught at cover. At 69 for five, India were truly staring down the barrel. The recall of Steyn provided some relief. Yuvraj pulled a short one from him to the midwicket billboards; Harbhajan Singh matched this with a clobber to extra cover. Left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe, operating at the other end, was slog swept by Yuvraj for six. Indeed, not to be left behind, Harbhajan gave himself room to smash Morkel to the sightscreen for a maximum. Gibbs caressed RP through the covers for a boundary. But in attempting to pull the next ball, played on. 47 for one in the power play became 59 for two, as Graeme Smith was deceived in the air by Harbhajan to hole out at midwicket. Scoreboard India:
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Sachin likely to miss WI tour
Nottingham, June 16 It is not yet clear when the team for the West Indies is to be announced but sources indicate it could be by tomorrow. Zaheer Khan may also be unavailable for the tour and lack of fitness could be cited as the reason for it. — PTI
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FIH recognises Hockey India
New Delhi, June 16 In a communication to Hockey India secretary-general Mohd. Aslam Khan here today, FIH secretary-general Peter L Cohen has stated that “it is not necessary for the FIH to grant provisional recognition of Hockey India because Hockey India is now a full member of the FIH”. A resolution, which was item No 13, at the FIH Congress, held at Los Angeles, unanimously approved the “transfer of membership of Hockey India subject to approval of their statutes. Explaining further, Cohen said the recognition was accorded as “You have provided the FIH with a copy of the Constitution of Hockey India and you have provided me with a copy of the Certificate of Registration. The IOA has also confirmed that Hockey India has been accepted as a member of the IOA and has been registered as the sole governing body for hockey, men and women, in India. The IOA has also advised the FIH that the previous men’s and women’s associations are no longer members of the IOA”. “Hence, all the formalities required by the FIH Congress for the transfer of membership have been fulfilled and I am pleased to confirm that Hockey India is now formally recognised by the FIH as a member of the FIH (in place of the Indian Hockey Confederation) as the sole governing body for hockey, men and women, in India”, Cohen added. |
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All-India Hot Weather Football
Mandi, June 16 Hoshiarpur boys raided the opponent goal from the very start, but their efforts bore fruit in the 20th minute of the first half when Vijay Kumar dodged the rival defence and managed to score first goal for his team. Stung by the reverse, Dalbir Academy boys combined well and raided the Hoshiarpur goal through left flank. In the 63rd minute, Sunil scored a beautiful goal for Dalbir Academy. Both teams tried hard to score but it was again Sunil of Dalbir Academy who got winning goal for his team. The second match of the day could not be played due to heavy rains. Earlier in the day, Deputy Commissioner Mandi formally inaugrated the tournament.
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So, what was it that went wrong went on Sunday? To start with, it is debatable whether Mahendra Dhoni should have inserted England. To refuse an opportunity to bat in dry, sunny, afternoon conditions was tactically insensible. It was also a blunder because it’s always hazardous to bat against spinners flighting the ball when natural light is fading and the artificial alternative hasn’t quite taken over.
Sri Lanka have stormed into the semifinals of the World Twenty20 with a remarkable clean slate - including a victory over Australia - in the entire competition.
