New Delhi, October 21
New South Wales Blues made mincemeat of their Australian counterparts Victorian Bushrangers beating them by 79 runs to storm into the final of the Champions League Twenty20 at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground here tonight.

NSW, opting to bat first, posted the second highest total mounted at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground here in the Champions League when they made 169 for 7 in 20 overs. But the Victorian side were never ever in the reckoning for a victory and folded up for 90 for 9 in 20 overs. NSW thus put on a total that was just one run less than the one posted by Delhi Daredevils in a league match.

NSW had so much depth in batting and bowling that Bushrangers were never really in with a chance. Hughes and Warner gave a rocker of a start to the innings and put on 62 runs.

Warner was in raging form, hitting seven fours and two sixes in his 48, made off 25 balls, before he was run out. But Hughes, who had remained a passive partner till then, took on the mantle of the lead hitter after Warner's exit, and hoisted 35. Daniel Smith, captain Simon Katich and Ben Rohrer ensured that NSW posted a challenging total.

Bushrangers were numbed beyond redemption when right-arm spinner Natham Hauritz inflicted twin blows in his very first over, and the second of the innings, when he bowled Rob Quiney and trapped Brad Hodge, both for nought, with just two runs on the board, with his second and fifth ball, respectively. Blizzard was caught by captain Katich — first of his two catches — off Brett Lee for five with the team score at 6, and the Victorians just could not recover from these early blows.

Scoreboard
New South Wales
Hughes b McKay 35(28)
Warner run out 48 (25)
Smith b McDonald 20 (19)
Katich run out 26 (18)
Henriques b Harwood 12 (13)
Rohrer c Quiney b McKay 19 (11)
Smith c White b McKay 2 (4)
Lee not out 0 (1)
Hauritz not out 1 (1)
Extras (b-3, lb-3) 6
Total (for 7 wkts in 20 overs) 169
Fall of wickets: 1-62, 2-90, 3-121, 4-134, 5-158, 6-163, 7-167.
Bowling: Harwood 4-0-23-1, Siddle 4-0-43-0, McKay 4-0-27-3, Hodge 1-0-10-0, Holland 3-0-34-0, McDonald 4-0-26-1.

Victoria
Quiney b Hauritz 0(5)
Hodge lbw b Hauritz 0(5)
Blizzard c Katich b Lee 5(6)
Hussey c Katich b Henriques 16(17)
White c Smith b Henriques 11(23)
Mcdonald b Bollinger 9(17)
Wade not out 23(29)
McKay c Katich b Henriques 8(6)
Harwood st Smith b Smith 10 (8)
Holland b Lee 0(2)
Siddle not out 1(2)
Extras (lb 4, w 3) 7
Total (9 wickets; 20 overs) 90
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-2, 3-6, 4-32, 5-39, 6-54, 7-68, 8-87, 9-88
Bowling: Lee 4-1-15-2, Hauritz 4-0-25-2, Bollinger 4-0-14-1, Clark 4-0-17-0, Henriques 3-0-11-3, Smith 1-0-4-1.

Bathinda, October 21
Beijing Olympics medal winners grapplers Sushil Kumar and boxer Vijender Kumar have been invited by the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee to take part in the Queen’s Baton Relay festivities slated to be held at Buckingham palace on October 29.

The Queen’s Baton Relay, like the Olympic torch relay, is a relay-run held around the world prior to the Commonwealth Games and always commences at London’s Buckingham palace. The baton carries a message from the Queen of England who is also the head of the Commonwealth.

The relay will conclude at the opening ceremony of the Games in New Delhi on October 3 next year. Earlier, the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee had shortlisted the name of ace shooter Abhinav Bindra for the London event. However, now the Committee has also invited both Sushil and Vijender to London for the October 29 event which carries a lot of significance in context with the Commonwealth Games.

However, this development does not mean that Sushil Kumar will not be able to participate in the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Wrestling Championship slated to be held in Jalandhar from October 30 to November 1. Sushil, after attending the London event, will catch a late night flight from Heathrow airport, London on October 30 and will reach Jalandhar late afternoon on October 31.

The Wrestling Federation of India secretary general Kartar Singh said, “ The weighing in for the 66 kgs event will be held on October31 and Sushil will definitely make the cut. Earlier there were apprehensions he may not be able to make it. However, we have now worked out the details and Sushil has confirmed it.”

Bangalore, October 21
Having scored 68 runs, J&K cricketer Parvez Rasool was the highest run-getter today in the C K Naidu trophy match between J&K and Karnataka at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here. But the team coach Abdul Qayoom is not happy.

“Parvez is a century maker. He has scored at least 30 runs less today”, Qayoom said and alleged that detention by the police had taken its toll on the 21-year-old cricketer.

Rasool was detained by the city police on Saturday after an explosive detecting machine installed by a private security agency at the stadium indicated traces of explosives in his bag. Search of the bag, however, yielded nothing. The bag was then sent for forensic tests. The report from the forensic lab is still awaited. “We are expecting the report to arrive in next two-three days”, DCP(Central) G Ramesh told the Tribune today.

The J&K team, who were at first given accommodation inside the stadium complex, moved out from there after the Rasool incident. Since then they are staying in a hotel.

The four-day match between Karnataka and J&K started today and the day saw the latter team scoring 286 runs before getting all out. Despite his nightmarish experience at the hand of the police, Rasool produced a decent innings. He took 86 balls to score his 68 before being caught by A Khazi off the bowling of K P Appana. His innings consisted of eight cracking boundaries and one huge six.

So, rather than feeling down and out, was he actually more charged up when he came to bat today? Qayoom would not buy this theory. “The incident has scarred him. Otherwise he would have performed better”, the coach told Tribune. Being an all-rounder, Rasool is also expected to bowl tomorrow and Qayoom is hoping that he comes up with his best when the play resumes tomorrow.

Qayoom said Rasool, who comes from a cricketing family, was initiated into the game as a kid. Over the years, he moved up the ranks in J&K cricket and also captained the under-19 team. He played for his school and district, and represented the state in under-15, under-17, under-19 and under-22 tournaments. Parvez was also among the J&K players who were selected for a trial with the Kings XI Punjab.

Jaipur, October 21
After losing an opportunity to host two ODIs and also the World Cup 2011 matches, the state government has finally woken up to the infighting in the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA).

The government has now formed an ad-hoc committee to look after the work of the RCA executive panel. Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Rajasthan Mukesh Sharma, has appointed a nine-member committee through an order dated October 20. Former Ranji player Ratan Singh has been named the convener of the committee. The ad-hoc panel today took charge of the RCA affairs after opening the locks put up by the RCA faction led by Rajendra Singh Rathore.

The locks were opened in the presence of Assistant Registrar Leela Purshottam. The power struggle in the RCA started in March this year when in a bitterly contested election IAS Sanjay Dixit defeated IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi for the post of the president.

The face-off between the Dixit faction and pro-Modi Rathore faction intensified a few weeks back when the latter “removed” Dixit from the post of the president by calling the AGM of the state’s cricket body.

Later, a local court restrained Dixit from intervening in day-to-day affairs of the RCA, following which he named Shiv Charan Mali, a loyalist of CM Ashok Gehlot, as the acting president of the RCA. On the other hand, the Rathore faction announced fresh RCA polls for November 18.

Even as the warring RCA factions were busy settling scores, the state’s cricket lovers paid the price of their deeds, rather misdeeds, as Jaipur lost the chance to host two ODIs. The BCCI first shifted India-Australia ODI, scheduled to take place on October 25, from Jaipur to Vadodara and later changed the venue of India-Sri Lanka ODI from Jaipur to Kolkata.

As if it wasn’t enough, the Pink City also lost the opportunity to host a cricket World Cup tie in 2011. The state’s cricket fraternity was also at the receiving end of the RCA politics.

Both the factions sent their separate teams for two tournaments and ended up playing nowhere due to the internal bickering. The organisers didn’t allow the state’s women as well as men’s team to participate in a national-level tournament in Indore as both the factions had sent their own teams. The two factions had also announced to hold the state’ premier cricket tournament, President’ Cup at two different venues. They had also named different contesting teams.

Cricket fans across the state have hailed the government move. “Better late than never. Now, the government must ensure that the RCA affairs are kept away from politics and the cricket body keeps the interests of the game and its players above everything,” said RS Shekhawat, a retired government employee from Kota.

Chandigarh, October 21
Nehru Cup Hockey Tournament, one of the most prestigious events in once India’s national sport, has moved from its home in New Delhi to Chandigarh, Shahbad and Gwalior. The 46th edition of the Jindal Steel Senior Nehru Hockey Tournament will be held at the Sector 42 Hockey Stadium here from November 14 to 25.

In fact, the Nehru Society conducts five tournaments every year. Two each have gone to Chandigarh and Gwalior while the fifth will be hosted by new nursery of women’s hockey, Shahbad Markanda. Chandigarh will also host the under-17 boys Nehru Hockey Tournament from October 31 to November 14.

In progress at Shahbad Markanda is the boys’ under-15 tournament. The final of this tournament that started on October 19 will be held on October 29 at the newly laid astro-turf at Government School in the city of deity Markanda. The society has already conducted its under-17 girls tournament at Gwalior. The fifth tournament, Sail Nehru Champions College Tournament, will also be hosted by Gwalior in February next year.

Started in 1964, the Nehru tournament has had its permanent home in Shivaji Stadium, a central place that has a strong knowledgeable hockey fraternity, emotionally attached to the venue. And for the first time, this community will miss the glitter and excitement of an event that has virtually become a part of their lives.

Incidentally, it was at Shivaji stadium that Indian women’s hockey team won its maiden gold medal in Asian Games in 1982. That performance is yet to be repeated. Talking to The Tribune, Kukoo Walia, Joint Secretary of the Nehru Tournament, said that the purpose of taking out Nehru Tournaments to other cities was to popularise the sport across the country.

Some of the permanent sponsors, including Jindal Steel, Oil and Natural Gas Commission and Delhi Development Authority, have promised continued support to the Committee. Last year, the Jindal Steel Nehru Cup Hockey Tournament for seniors attracted 17 teams, including two from abroad. Indian Colts defeated Bharat Petroleum 3-2 to win the coveted Cup.

Meanwhile, a three-day international workshop for hockey umpires will also be held in Chandigarh. Kukoo Walia, who himself had been an international umpire and now an Umpires manager on the International Hockey Federation’s panel, says that Chairman of the Umpiring Committee of the FIH, Ermanno Silvano of Italy, will conduct the workshop. India’s sole representative on the FIH Umpiring panel, Shakeel Quereshi, will also be among those conducting the workshop. As many as 30 international umpires are scheduled to participate in the workshop to be held on November 12, 13 and 14, Kukoo Walia added.

Paris, October 21
Champions League holders Barcelona slumped to a stunning 1-2 defeat at home to Russian champions Rubin Kazan - their first in the competition in 10 months - on a night when seven of the away sides came away with a point or better. Liverpool were another to suffer as having gone 1-0 up before half-time they slumped to their fourth successive defeat yesterday - their worst run in 22-and-a-half years - 2-1 to Lyon, with Cesar Delgado netting in time added on.

Despite the alarming run Liverpool’s Spanish manager Rafael Benitez was defiant even in the light of the boos ringing out when he replaced goalscorer Yossi Benayoun. “We have done it before and we have to do the same,” said Benitez referring to having bounced back before.

Both Barca’s domestic rivals Sevilla and English Premier League giants Arsenal all but assured themselves of a place in the knockout stages as Sevilla romped to a 3-1 victory away at German side Stuttgart.

Group G rivals Rangers look down and out after suffering their second successive heavy home defeat - 4-1 to Romanian debutants Unirea Urziceni, coached by former Chelsea star Dan Petrescu. Arsenal meanwhile were held at 1-1 in Holland by AZ Alkmaar. — AFP

BRIEFLY

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni practices during a three-day training camp in Mumbai on Wednesday. India will play seven ODIs against Australia from Sunday. — Reuters

Forget about Tendulkar dismissal: Harper
NEW DELHI: Australian umpire Daryl Harper says the infamous leg-before decision he gave against Sachin Tendulkar in 1999 is the only one he wants the world to forget about but insists that he was not wrong in giving the Indian batsman out. “The one that I would like the world to forget is the Sachin one, when he ducked a McGrath bouncer, in Adelaide in 1999. I’ve got the video clip on my laptop still, and you can see it is still out!” Harper said. — PTI

Lifters win six gold
NEW DELHI: Competing in the backdrop of a series of dope flunks, Indian weightlifters began their Commonwealth Senior and Junior Championship campaign in Penang, Malaysia, with a bang by winning six gold and four silver medals on Wednesday. Out of the six gold, three were won by the senior lifters while the remaining were pocketed by the juniors. — PTI