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‘Celebrations after series win’
RCA Feud: CP Joshi eligible to contest
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‘Asian C’ship medal was a dream come true’
 Patiala, November 28
With the standard of Indian sports increasing with each passing day, Om Prakash Singh, a strapping 22-year-old lad from Haryana, has once again proved that there is no lack of talent in India - it’s just that it needs to be nurtured. Om Prakash who made a memorable debut in the Asian athletics championships held at Gangzhaou, China, by claiming the shot put gold and creating an Asian Championship record (19.87m) at the Guangdong Olympic Stadium is surely the a medal contender for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
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‘Celebrations after series win’
SL Tour of India
Kochi, November 28 The mercurial bowler, who earned the Man of the Match award for his six-wicket haul in the Kanpur Test, has put off celebrations until after the third and final Test, hoping that India wins it to seal the series 2-0. On a quick trip to his home town before the third Test starting December 2, the bespectacled Kerala cricketer said, “There was not much celebration since I was travelling to Kochi. God willing, If India wins the Test series, there will be celebration.” Attributing his performance to divine help, Sreesanth said he would also go to Guruvayoor to pray at the famous Sreekrishna temple. “I am very happy and it is God’s grace and the support of the people that helped me do well,” Sreeshanth said. Cricket returns to Brabourne after 36 yrs
MUMBAI: Test cricket returns to Brabourne stadium after 36 years with the third and final match of the series between India and Sri Lanka and the organisers have promised to make it memorable with a good wicket for the December 2-6 game. “It will be a good Test wicket, a typical CCI wicket. The track will be hard and is expected to provide some bounce. It is expected to help the bowlers in the first session with some moisture underneath,” former Mumbai captain and CCI cricket secretary Milind Rege said. The famous venue, which lost its pre-eminent status to the Wankhede Stadium, which is not available to host the tie as it’s undergoing a major revamp, will conduct its first Test since the February 1973 clash between Ajit Wadekar’s India and Tony Lewis’ England. Insisting that he as well as others are doing their bit to help the curator in preparing the ground to host the top-class fixture, Rege said that the grass cover on the pitch would be trimmed gradually from tomorrow. “The grass cover would be shaved from tomorrow,” he said. Asked if the wicket would turn out to be something similar to the flat deck prepared for the first Test at Ahmedabad’s Motera Stadium, on which close to 1,600 runs were scored, the former Mumbai off spinner said, “I don’t think so”. The Test would be the 17th to be held at this venue, since 1948-49 when West Indies played two matches in one series and escaped to a draw in the second after dominating the first which also ended in a draw. Green Park curator avoids Dhoni
KANPUR: In the eye of an unnecessary storm last year, Green Park curator Shiv Kumar has avoided meeting Mahendra Singh Dhoni after India thumped Sri Lanka in the second Test here. Kumar vividly recalls the brouhaha that broke out after it came to light that Dhoni - after India had beaten South Africa inside three days in April 2008 - and his teammates had tipped the groundsmen Rs 10,000 after
the match. An innocuous gesture, followed at every venue irrespective of results, Kumar and the groundsmen were shocked at reports that claimed they had been “rewarded” for making a beast of a track that swallowed the South Africans. “That episode fresh in mind, this time I avoided meeting Dhoni after the match. Once bitten twice shy, you may say,” Kumar said here on Saturday. Asked if this time too the groundsmen were tipped, Kumar said, “Now don’t ask me that. I do not know.”
— PTI |
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RCA Feud: CP Joshi eligible to contest
Jaipur, November 28 The cricketing dreams of Joshi had suffered a major blow on November 12 when a nine-member RCA ad-hoc committee had issued a notification, as per which only the office-bearers elected on or before November 3 were eligible to contest the RCA polls. Joshi was elected treasurer of Rajsamand District Cricket Association only on November 7 while his election was reported to RCA on November 13. On November 27, Joshi’s counsel challenged the office-bearers’ list issued by the ad-hoc committee before Kasliwal. Hearing the argument, Kasliwal said, “Since the notification of the RCA election was released on November 12, the cut-off date should have been the same and not November 3. All office-bearers of the district cricket associations elected before November 12 can contest the elections.” With Kasliwal giving a go ahead to Modi and Joshi, the battle for the RCA has spiced up. Some Congress leaders close to Joshi said he may contest the elections. Joshi though is treading cautiously. “I am aware of the verdict but it is too early to say whether I will contest or not. I will be coming to Jaipur and will take a final call after consulting a few people,” he said. With the nomination process set to begin on Saturday, all eyes are now on Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s next move vis-à-vis the RCA elections, as ever since he took over the state’s reins he has evinced keen interest in the cricketing affairs. He reportedly exploited his clout in ensuring the defeat of IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi, who is known for his proximity with former CM Vasundhara Raje, in the last RCA elections in March this year. Sanjay Dixit, who defeated Modi, had full backing of the Gehlot camp. While Joshi’s candidature may tilt the power equation in the RCA, as lesser known Congress leaders would not dare to take on his might, Gehlot’s role will also be closely watched. Interestingly, the Modi camp has hailed Kasliwal’s verdict which declared Joshi eligible to contest the RCA polls.
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‘Asian C’ship medal was a dream come true’
Patiala, November 28 Training at NIS, Patiala, Om Prakash is leaving no stone unturned for making his presence felt at the world-level. Talking about his achievement, he said he was extremely delighted to win this medal. “It was a double treat for me. Winning a gold medal was one, and breaking Shakti Singh’s record was certainly the other one. It was like a dream come true,” he added. Om Prakash who has registered his name among top Asian shot putters at a young age entered the game by chance. While doing his graduation from Malwa College, Bathinda, he had gone to Vijaywada for a basketball championship where he was noticed by Bhanot, the secretary of the Athletics Federation. Standing tall at 6’7”, Bhanot thought Om Prakash was better suited for shot put. His offer took Om Prakash to the Salwan Throwers Academy where he trained under a Russian coach. His hard work and dedication made him the junior national champion within six months and then there was no looking back. He then represented India in the 2006 Junior World Championship and gave a remarkable performance. Elaborating on his career graph, Om Prakash said, “The year 2007 was very crucial as I entered the senior category and the competition became tougher. But I managed to keep my cool and win silver in the senior nationals. Then in 2008, I won a silver medal at the Doha Asian Championship. This medal helped me get a job with ONGC and now this Asian Championship medal has further convinced me that all you need is will to make a mark.” Om Prakash is planning to undergo training at USA next month with the top world throwers and is looking forward to learn a lot from them.
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CWG: Shooting trials at NMBGC
Patiala, November 28 The trials will be conducted for selection of the team that will represent India at the Commonwealth Shooting Championships in January next year and for the first and second World Cup scheduled for 2010. The top brass of the NRAI had said that NMBGC Shooting Range at Patiala is one of the best in the entire country and best suited for the world championships. Giving further information about the trials, Amar Jang Singh said the two selection trials would be held from December 8 to 14. “First selection trial for Clay Pigeon Trap will be held on Decemebr 8 and 9. The trials for Clay Pigeon Double Trap will be conducted on December 10. Likewise, the second selection trial for the Clay Pigeon Trap will be held on Decemebr 12 and 13, whereas the trials for Clay Pigeon Double Trap will be conducted on December 14”, he disclosed. |
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Tendulkar is also a fitness icon: Dr Chandran
Noted sports medicine expert, and director of sports medicine at SAI, Dr PSM Chandran talks about India’s ignorant approach towards the field, at a time when doping allegations have hit weightlifters, and the hockey coach is crying hoarse over the need for a psychologist.
“There cannot be a better example than Tendulkar. His secret of success in a sport like cricket, which demands absolute fitness is his knowledge of the field”, said noted sports medicine expert, and director of sports medicine at the SAI Dr PSM Chandran. “Playing 20 years of non-stop cricket of different hues is a testimony to Sachin’s commitment to the game, who despite various injuries from time to time, has kept himself abreast with the latest in fitness and diet”, added Dr Chandran, who recently organised an international sports medicine conference in Delhi in which leading sports medicine experts and renowned medical doctors from India and across the world deliberated threadbare on sports injuries and the menace of doping among sportspersons. He said the ongoing problem with the Indian weightlifters and hockey chief coach Jose Brasa’s cry for a psychologist puts things in perspective. The lack of scientific backing has landed the weightlifters in peril, pushing the Weightlifting Federation of India (WFI) into troubled waters, while Brasa knows the advantage of having a psychologist who can be of a value addition to his team members when the chips are down while competing in international tournaments. This is where the importance of sports medicine and scientific backing that is needed to keep the sportspersons fit and trim, before a match or a major tournament, comes into play. Sadly, many Indian sportspersons and sports federations, gearing up for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, have not taken seriously the need to have the services of sports psychologists to motivate the sportspersons, aiming for medals. The sports medicine experts at the Medcon had felt that the “lack of knowledge is better than having a little knowledge”, as there is no substitute to scientific backing if talented sportspersons want to hit the medal trail and win laurels at international competitions. Here is where federations like the WFI should draw lessons from, and learn from the longevity of an outstanding player like Sachin Tendulkar, if they want the lifters to do well in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, without the aid of stimulants. Dr Chandran said Dr G Goldspink of the United Kingdom, an authority on doping and its after-effects, had expressed dismay at how his discovery of Mechano Growth Factor (MGF) was being abused by present day athletes for doping, and Wayne Derman’s (South Africa) skeletal muscle activity at exhaustion. Unfortunately, many Indian sports persons and federations, who are preparing for the Commonwealth Games, missed a golden opportunity by not sending their representatives to take home the nuances of the experts at the Medcon, who were the most sought-after doctors like Glyn C Roberts of UK, Dr Mahar Dusan of Slovakia, Dr Steven N Blair of the USA and Dr McDonagh of Norway. In fact, former India captain Mohd. Azharuddin also put thrust on the physical fitness aspect when he addressed the august gathering in one of the interactive sessions.
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Kochi, November 28
New Delhi, November 28
CHANDIGARH: