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SL Tour of India 3rd Test
Ranji trophy |
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AAI ropes in Ginger Hopwood US-based woman new coach for Compound archery Bathinda, November 30 The Archery Association of India (AAI), with an eye on the Commonwealth Games, has roped in a renowned US-based Compound woman coach Ginger Hopwood for training Indian archers.
Bagan in tough group of Fed Cup
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SL Tour of India 3rd Test
New Delhi, November 30 Back in action for the ongoing Ranji Trophy, Irfan said he would leave no stone unturned in his efforts to impress the selectors and stage a comeback like Sreesanth did. “Sreesanth has made an excellent comeback. He was doing well in domestic matches earlier and after returning to the India team, he put up an performance which is quite inspirational. I want to make a comeback like him,” Irfan said. “I met him before Ranji match, I am impressed with his body language also. This kind of comeback strengthens the believe that you can also do it in same manner by improving your performance,” said the left-arm seamer. Back from a 19-month hiatus, Sreesanth was instrumental in India’s 144-run victory in the second Test, where his five-wicket haul in the first innings forced the Lankans to follow-on in Kanpur. Gambhir International Cricketer of the Year
MUMBAI: In-form Indian opener Gautam Gambhir today won the Ceat International Cricketer of the Year award for his stupendous performance with the bat in the 2008-09 season. Gambhir’s India and Delhi opening mate Virender Sehwag won the ODI Batsman of the Year award. The Test Bowler of the Year award was bagged by Australia’s left-arm pacer Mitchell Johnson. Former spin great Erapalli Prasanna was given the Lifetime Achievement award while Australia got the Team of the Year award. Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was given a special felicitation award for completing 300 wickets in Tests. The International Spirit of Cricket award went to Sri Lanka batsman Thilan Samaraweera who got injured in the Lahore terror attack in March while his compatriot Ajantha Mendis bagged the ODI Bowler of the Year award. The pitch prepared at the Brabourne Stadium, where India takes on Sri Lanka in the third and final match from Wednesday appears to be a balanced one, feels former Mumbai cricketer Milind Rege. “It is a 50-50 wicket. It will help the batsmen and the bowlers,” said Rege, cricket secretary of the Cricket Club of India (CCI) who has been involved in preparing the track at the Brabourne Stadium which will host its first Test since February, 1973. Rege cautioned the two teams’ batsmen that the moisture underneath, which had been retained to prevent the wicket from cracking, will be of some help to the bowlers initially. “There will be good bounce as there will be good moisture. If it is a dry wicket, it will crumble immediately. It will bind the soil. It’s a December sun and it is not hard,” he said. “The ball should move, similar to Wankhede Stadium. In fact, there will be more (movement) as there is more open space at this venue. There will be more breeze here. It is always a good toss to win but you have to be careful in the two to three hours of the game,” he indicated. —
PTI |
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Ranji trophy
Mohali, November 30 The comprehensive win against Gujarat here last week should have settled matters for the team that previously looked good only in patches and was found wanting in providing the knockout punches at crucial junctures. Bowling is Punjab’s strength and the pace battery of Manpreet Gony, Harmeet Bansal and Love Ablish looked in devastating form and exploited the home conditions to the maximum. The batting too complemented the hard work put in by the bowlers as they managed more than four hundred runs in the first innings. Ravi Inder, Kohli, Dharmani and Bhalla have been among the runs and the hosts would hope for a repeat show. “Playing at home is always a bonus. This is our third game this season at the PCA. We know the conditions pretty well but at the end of the day you still have to perform to win. We are eager to seal the last-eight berth with a victory here,” said skipper Pankaj Dharmani on the eve of the match. Himachal are coming into the match after losing the last match to Tamil Nadu even after taking the first innings lead.
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AAI ropes in Ginger Hopwood
Earlier, the AAI had hired Australian Compound coach Peter Feeney at a monthly salary of $5000 to impart training to the archers at the National camp being held at the SAI Eastern centre in Kolkata. However, after just three months Feeney fell out with the AAI officialdom and the official version given at that time was that “Feeney’s performance was not matching the AAI’s expectations.” Keeping in view the Indian team’s participation in Compound archery for the Commonwealth games, the AAI has now decided to hire the services of US-based Ginger Hopwood through the Sports Authority of India (SAI) at a daily salary of $250. At present there are 20 compound archers training at the Kolkata camp for the Commonwealth games. SAI sources reveal that Ginger Hopwood, who is a US Archery Association level-4 coach, will be in India for 15 days a month. For the other 15 days, she will be monitoring the performances of the archers from Atlanta - her base in USA - through a special software installed on her computer. An AAI official disclosed that, “Hopwood, with a rich 20 years of experience behind her, is known for using state-of-the art Dartfish video software which is a freeze-frame assessment technique that is invaluable in observing and assessing problem areas from close angles.” A SAI official disclosed that, “Since Indians are new to Compound archery, the AAI approached the International body - FITA - to help them identify a top class Compound archery coach and the international body recommended the name of Ginger Hopwood to the Indian Association.” Earlier, the AAI had roped in Australian Peter Feeney who was a mediocre coach even in his home country. Feeney failed to deliver the results which annoyed people in the AAI. Ultimately the services of Feeney were dispensed off with forcing the AAI to scout for a new coach.
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English Premier League
London, November 30 Arsenal had won their previous 11 home games in all competitions but, after losing at Sunderland last week, they again struggled to make an impression on a Chelsea defence that has conceded just eight goals in 14 league games. The match encapsulated the key differences between the two London sides as Chelsea’s powerful lineup outmuscled Arsenal’s lightweights and, when in sight of goal, went for the jugular. In contrast, Arsenal were content to play endless passes around the box in attacks that all too often petered out thanks to over-elaboration. Chelsea, who have also beaten Manchester United and Liverpool this season, top the standings on 36 points, five clear of United. Tottenham Hotspur are third on 26 with Arsenal fourth on 25 and Liverpool, who won 2-0 at Everton on Sunday, fifth on 23. There was barely an effort on goal in the opening 40 minutes at the Emirates but the game exploded into life with two near-identical goals in the last four minutes of the half. The first came when Ashley Cole whipped in a low cross and Drogba steered a side-footed volley into the roof of the net. Former Arsenal man Cole, relentlessly booed by the home fans, repeated the delivery three minutes later and in an attempt to prevent the ball reaching Drogba, Vermaelen deflected in an own goal in the same spot as the opener. Arsenal did have the ball in the net four minutes after the restart but Andrei Arshavin’s goal was ruled out for a high-footed challenge on Petr Cech by Eduardo. After Arsenal eventually passed themselves into exhaustion, Drogba completed the impressive victory. — Reuters
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Bagan in tough group of Fed Cup
New Delhi, November 30 Chirag United, who are doing very well in the ongoing I-League at fourth spot — one place above Bagan — are the fourth side in Group B from which only the top team will proceed to the semifinals. The All India Football Federation, after its emergency committee meeting in Kolkata yesterday, had said that the tournament would start from December 20 but the draws released by the federation today said the two opening matches will be played on December 21, one each in Guwahati and Silchar. Placed in Group D, last edition runners-up Dempo play Pune FC in Guwahati on December 22 while I-League champions Churchill Brothers take on the second qualifier on December 21 in Group C. Fixtures:
Group A: Silchar Dec 22: East Bengal vs Viva Kerala; JCT vs Salgaocar SC Dec 24: Viva Kerala vs JCT; Salgaocar SC vs East Bengal Dec 27: East Bengal vs JCT; Viva Kerala vs Salgaocar SC Group B: Guwahati Dec 21: Mohun Bagan vs Qualifier II; M United vs Chirag Dec 23: Chirag United vs Bagan; M United vs Qualifier II. Dec 26: Chirag United vs Qualifier II; Mahindra United vs Bagan Group C: Silchar Dec 21: Churchill Brothers vs Qualifier I; Sporting vs Mumbai FC. Dec 23: Mumbai FC vs Churchill Brothers; Sporting Clube de Goa vs Qualifier I. Dec 26: Mumbai FC vs Qualifier I; Churchill Brothers vs Sporting Clube de Goa. Group D: Dec 22: Dempo SC vs Pune FC; Air India vs Shillong Lajong Dec 24: Shillong Lajong vs Dempo SC; Pune FC vs Air India Dec 27: Shillong Lajong vs Pune FC; Dempo SC vs Air India Semifinals: Dec 30: Semifinals: Winner Group C vs Winner Group D; Winner Group A vs Winner Group B Januray 3: Final. — PTI |
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Irfan Pathan finds inspiration in S Sreesanth’s spectacular return to international cricket and believes he too can claw his way back to the Indian team with some solid performance in domestic cricket.
English Premier League
New Delhi, November 30
Bathinda, November 30
