Centurion, September 25
Ravaged by injuries and unsettled by a disappointing build-up, India would seek to draw inspiration from history when they clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in their Champions Trophy opener here tomorrow. Already missing star performers like opener Virender Sehwag and pacer Zaheer Khan, India were dealt another massive blow when middle-order mainstay Yuvraj Singh was forced to return home owing a fractured right-hand finger.

Yuvraj’s absence has left a gaping hole in the Indian line-up and it would be quite a challenge for the young Virat Kohli to step into the dashing left-hander’s shoes. Apart from the batting and bowling, off-field rumblings have contributed no less to the disquiet in skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s ranks.

India’s other batting slots are also far from settled with question marks on the early rustiness of Gautam Gambhir, who was nursing a groin strain before the tournament.

Pakistan skipper Younus Khan is prepared to play with a fractured finger and acute pain in order to inflict a rare defeat on India in an ICC event here tomorrow.

“May be if it was another game, I would have sat on the bench. But you don’t get to play India everyday.” — PTI

Johannesburg: Riding on solid knocks of Morgan 62* (83) and Collingwood 46 (51), England surprised Sri Lanka by 6 wickets with five overs still to be bowled, on Friday. In the first innings Lanka were bowled out for paltry 212 in 47.5 overs. Thilina Kandamby and Angelo Mathews struck defiant half-centuries to steer Sri Lanka to a the modest total at the New Wanderers Stadium.

Both the batsmen showed immense resilience and guts while batting on a zippy track after England pace duo of James Anderson and Graham Onions had polished off their top order. Taking full advantage of a juicy seaming track, Anderson and Onions made life difficult for Sri Lankan batsmen, sent in to bat by England skipper Andrew Strauss. Anderson and Stuart Broad took three wickets each while Onions claimed two.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 212; Kandamby 53 (82), Mathews 52 (73). 

Anderson took 3/20, Broad 3/49.

England 213 for 4; Morgan 62*(83), Collingwood 46 (51). Kulasekara took 2/42. — PTI

Chandigarh, September 25
It was a sunny day for Punjab Cricket as its two outfits PCC and PCA Colts carved out facile wins against Reliance I and All India Electricity Board respectively, while last years winners Indian Oil Corporation defeated Indian Railway by 72 runs.

Indian Oil opted to bat and posted a total of 306 for 9 in 50 overs. International star Rohit sharma made an early exit when he was castled by S. Gehlot for 7. However, Ajinkya Rahane (65) and skipper Wasim Jaffar stitched a 137 runs for the 4th wicket partnership. Wasim Jaffar went on to complete a quick fire century (114) of 97 balls. Amit Dani also played a swashbuckling knock of 43.

In reply, Indian Railways were bundled out for 234 in 44.3 overs. Their innings revolved around Sanjay Bangar (97) and T.P. Singh (50). Skipper Yere Gaud remained unbeaten on 32. Indian Oil won by 72 runs and got 5 points including a bonus and headed their pool with 15 points. Sanjay Bangar of Indian Railways was declared as man of the match. Despite this loss Indian Railways also made it to the quarterfinals as the second team from pool-B with 7 points.

In the second match played at Sector 8, DAV School, Chandigarh, PCA Colts made short work of Electricity Board by hustling them out by 10 wickets and garnered 5 points. With this win PCA Colts shot up to the top of points table in Pool-D (9 points).

Both the teams qualified for the quarterfinals from Pool-D. PCA Colts restricted All India Electricity Board to 194 in 40.3 overs. Replying PCA Colts romped home in 30.3 overs knocking 195 without loss with opener Sarul Kanwar hitting a brilliant unbeaten 100 was declared man of the match.

In the last match of the day, PCC won the toss and elected to field. Reliance-I were reduced to 179 for 8 in 34.3 overs. Replying, PCC started with Sunny Sohal and Ravi Inder Singh and the duo posted 107 runs for the first wicket before Sunny Sohal was caught by Dewan of the bowling of Chetanya Nanda for 56 and took the total to 278 for 2 in 45.2 overs to enable their team to chalk out an 8 wickets win and get 4 points to take their total to 7 in Pool A. Reliance I with this loss still maintained their no. one position with nine points in Pool-A. Vishwas Bhalla scored an unbeaten 77, while Taruwar Kohli scored unbeaten 76. Chetnaya Nanda was declared as man of the match. With this the league stage of the tournament has got over and the knock out quarter finals will start from tommorrow.

Dehradun, September 25
Even though Ramesh Kumar ended a 42-year long draught by clinching a freestyle medal at the World Wrestling Championship in Denmark but no organisation or government has extended its help to sponsor the victor.

Speaking to The Tribune from Delhi over the phone, Kumar rues, “Though I have been receiving congratulations calls from my near and dear ones. But I am really surprised that no one has bothered to call me up to sponsor me. Had it been a cricket world cup win everyone would have gone gaga over it but I think no authority counts this win.”

Ramesh, the youngest Arjuna awardee grappler in India, recalls, “I remember that in my entire career, I was honoured only once by the Haryana government when I won a gold medal in the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002.”

It is sad that neither the state nor the center government before 2002 and after it, despite his winning medals during the period, ever recognised his contribution.

Though the grappler is bit unhappy with the authorities but was very amused seeing the support of the people. “The win is the result of the prayers of people of India. I am very happy with the response of the people not only in India but abroad as well. In Denmark also the support of the Indian crowd was very motivating,” says Kumar, who beat Alexander Burca of Moldova in 47kg category to become the first Indian in 42 years to win the bronze medal.

On asking that Olympian Sushil Kumar couldn’t manage to do what you have done in the championship he said, “Sushil shouldn’t be reckoned small with this after all he is an Olympic champion..”

Replying to a question, the 27-year-old says, “No, I haven’t received any offer from any film, but if any such offer comes my way I will consider that.”

Chandigarh, September 25
There are things that you expect in day-to-day life, and things you don’t. Yet another category is of what you wish to see and these make the difference.

So when you chance upon a bunch of girls, playing football like it was all that mattered to them, you can’t help but sit and watch a fair bit of it. Something similar has been going on at the DAV School, Sector 8, as the Chandigarh team prepare for the Sub Junior Girls National Football Championship to be held at Haldwani (Uttarakhand) from September 27 to October 14.

The team is a good mix being trained under the watchful eyes of SAI coach Narinder Thapa and manager IP Nagi. “Its hard to find a committed bunch of players for soccer. But these girls have put in unquestionable hard work. The results cannot be predicted but these girls will surely put up a hell of a fight,” feel both Nagi and Thapa.

All the girls fight for the ball, possession and control of the play flow, but one of them, a diminutive and slight bodied - Tanvi — shows the calm and composure, that befits the special ones.

The captain of the side, Tanvi, shows ample strength and control as she holds the play at will, holds off other girls without the slightest hint of an effort and shoots thunderballs with either foot.

“I picked up football from my brother. Although there is no specific reason why I like the sport, its hard to think about anything else now. I pretty much live this game,” says Tanvi, a Manchester United and Wayne Rooney fan.

She has represented India earlier, but that has been a learning experience, more than anything else. “The condition of football is really awful. I don’t know what future can one think of professionally in India. The men’s game is still struggling to find firm footing, so I don’t really know about the direction for us.”

Team: Tanvi Bhargava (C), Shaira, Inyat Manpreet, Suchint, Adriya, Ekta, Jaspreet , Gurleen, Ramanjot, Sharika, Kishmita, Neeti, Shivangi, Syeba, Vishali, Udita , Saumya, Taarini and UIvy.