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india vs S. Africa
2nd odi: 2.30 pm
Media tangled in ‘security net’
PIL against IPL
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Sunil Gavaskar
Writes...
Lee to retire from Tests: Report
Thomas and Uber Cup
IPL will be played in India: Modi
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india vs S. Africa
2nd odi: 2.30 pm
Gwalior, February 23 What looked like a one-sided contest in India's favour at one stage became an edge-of-the-seat thriller as the host bowlers let go their grip over the match with their wayward line. India, though, managed to pull it off by just a run, the closest of victory margins. It was a psychological blow for the South Africans, who have been labelled chokers for losing close matches on a regular basis, but they are expected to come hard at the Indians in tomorrow's do-or-die tie at the Captain Roop Singh Stadium. They failed to dislodge India from the number one spot in Test rankings after losing the Kolkata Test so the Proteas would do everything to give themselves a chance to at least snatch back the number two position in the one-day rankings. The team who which wins this series will end the year as number two behind world champions Australia. SA coach hints at changes in side Faced with a do-or-die situation after the heartbreaking one-run loss in Jaipur, South Africa coach Corrie van Zyl today hinted that the visitors may make some changes in their side for the second one-dayer against India here tomorrow. Asked if Test series' batting star Hashim Amla could find a place in the XI, van Zyl said the rotation of players would continue as the Proteas have one eye on the 2011 World Cup in the sub-continent. "Each of the 16 players in the squad is capable. Winning or losing, we will try to get the best combination. Quicker we get the combination the better. Rotation will go much longer than this tour," van Zyl said. "This is the place where the World Cup is going to happen. We want to see how other players perform in these conditions. Rotation will be a policy on this tour. We are planning for World Cup," he said at the pre-match press conference ahead of the team practice. Players wary of IPL security: Smith JOHANNESBURG: Security apprehension about the Indian Premier League is proving infectious with South Africa captain Graeme Smith saying that his compatriots have developed a cold feet about travelling to India. "Players remain concerned about the security issues for IPL," said Smith, who missed the ongoing ODI series against India and had to return home after the second Test in Kolkata because of a finger injury. — PTI |
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Media tangled in ‘security net’
New Delhi, February 23 According to a top source in Hockey India, twice the media cards were changed by the security agencies “and we can now print the card, which takes time, only after security clearance”. The statement by International Hockey Federation (FIH) tournament director Ken Read here today only further fuelled the ire of the media persons as he “has determined that media access to training will not be possible until accreditations are active, which is expected to be on February 27.” But the HI source said “we have taken up media access to the team with the FIH and hope to get a positive response”. Normally, the media is allowed to enter the stadium through the VIP gate, but this time, they will have to get in through Gate No 2, as per the present plan. Late in the afternoon, a meeting of the World Cup 2010 Co-ordination Commission was held under the chairmanship of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium. The meeting was attended, among others, by IOA secretary-general Randhir Singh, Sports Authority of India (SAI) director-general Sayan Chatterjee, SAI special officer Hardip Singh Kingra, Ken Read, Hockey India secretary-general Narinder Batra, CPWD chief engineer Rajesh Kalla, Delhi Police Additional Commissioner Krishna, 2010 Delhi Commonwealath Games Organising Committee joint-director general ASV Prasad. The meeting reviewed the security arrangements and the commission “was happy with the robust on-ground arrangements to ensure that the World Cup would be played in a safe and secure environment”. The commission discussed issues relating to media access to the National Stadium and decided that “media accreditation would be completed by February 24 so that the accredited media could attend an interaction with the teams during practice at the National Stadium on February 25”. The commission was also happy at the brisk sale of tickets with more outlets being made available for tickets sale. Meanwhile, nine teams, including hosts India, have checked into the team hotel, which is a five-star deluxe facility very close to the stadium. The hotel has been fortified like a fortress, with access restricted. The teams who have arrived in Delhi for the World Cup are: Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Korea, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Canada and Argentina. Germany, Spain and England are the three teams yet to arrive. Hockey India said marketing and event management company Commune Sports and Entertaining had been appointed to assist in the organisation of the World Cup. “The IOA and the Organising Committee, Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi have lent total support to ensure that the World Cup is organised in a befitting manner”, added an Hockey India official.
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PIL against IPL
New Delhi, February 23 Also, evening matches would affect the studies of students at the time of Board examinations and cause accidents due to pedestrians crossing the roads in darkness, besides producing noise pollution due to traffic in the quiet hours of the night. Further, while the revenue from the matches goes to private bodies like the BCCI and the organizing committee of the IPL, the state is spending taxpayers’ money for providing security and managing traffic. In view of this, the state should recover the expenses from the organizers. Besides BCCI and IPL organizers, the respondents named in the petition are the Centre, the states where the matches would be held and the Union ministries of sports, forests, power and home. If the court admits the petition, the IPL would have to face the PIL before kicking off the third edition of the tournament. |
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Writes... India have to be ruthless It was indeed a close shave for the Indians when they managed to win the first one-dayer by a run at Jaipur. Considering the fact that most if not all of them hardly shave on match days so as to avoid being sunburnt was something that should upset them greatly. A win is a win alright but here is where India have to learn to be ruthless so that the oppostion does not get up after it is down. It’s an old Indian habit of relaxing when the going is good so that when an unexpected resistance is seen then there’s a sudden realisation that things have got out of hand and then amends are sought to be made. The champion teams do not allow the opponents a look in once the door is shut and this is an attribute that helps to keep them at the top. Any player can have a bad day and that’s a given in sport but when a player continues to make the same error then it’s a worry for that indicates a mind that is frozen and that in a red hot contest is simply not good enough for a team. India’s bowlers froze especially in the final few overs with the shining exception of Praveen Kumar. Praveen Kumar is one of the unsung players in a team full of superstars but he goes about his job and more often than not gets it done. He is a street smart cricketer who has earned his place by dint of hard work and though he may carry himself a bit differently in domestic cricket, at the international level he knows his place and his limitations and works to get the best out of himself. There is no drama with him and Indian cricket could do with more such players who do what they are selected in the team for. No playing to the gallery but just do his job. The South Africans may well feel aggrieved that they got a couple of calls that could have made a difference to the eventual result and that once again underscores the absolute imperative of third country umpires officiating in Test matches. Having one home umpire for the limited overs games is understandable for that is one way of finding out how he copes under pressure but the ultimate in cricket is still Test cricket and for that it has to be third country umpires. South Africa’s loss off the final ball of the match did not help their efforts to rid themselves of the chokers tag but the Indians know that they got away from jail. — PMG
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Lee to retire from Tests: Report
Melbourne, February 23 "A discussion with Andrew Flintoff has persuaded Brett Lee to retire from Test cricket, effective immediately. The Australian fast bowler, fourth on the all-time list of Australian wicket-takers, will announce this week his decision not to attempt a comeback from another serious injury," the newspaper reported. Lee, who spent most of the past year recuperating from injuries, has 310 wickets under his belt from 76 Tests since his debut in 1999. The tearaway bowler is behind only Shane Warne (708), Glenn McGrath (563) and Dennis Lillee (355) in the highest Test wicket-takers' list for Australia. He sent down a 160.8km/h thunderbolt in 2005, which remains the fastest ever delivery bowled by an Australian and second fastest overall behind Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar (161.3km/h). — PTI
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Indian men thrash Cambodia 5-0
Eves beaten by Japan 1-4
New Delhi, February 23 The Cambodians could hardly build any resistance when Indian pair of V Diju and Jishnu Sanyal crushed Mesa Vandy and Puthicheat Chindet 21-7 21-9 to further swell the lead. Sophors Suon surrendered to Anup Sridhar 9-21 13-21 in the fourth match and then Sanave Thomas-Rupesh Kumar beat Troeung-Vann 21-10 21-8 in fifth match to complete their second victory in the prestigious badminton tournament. Indian men's team had scripted a 5-0 whitewash against Sri Lanka in their tournament opener yesterday. In Uber Cup, Saina bagged the first game against Goto 21-13 and was leading 1-0 in the second when the Japanese retired from the match giving the world number seven Indian the win. However, the other members of the Indian team squandered the early advantage and lost all the remaining matches. Aparna Balan and Shruti Kurian were beaten 18-21 21-17 14-21 by the Japanese pair of Mami Naito and Shizuka Matsuo in the second match, while national champion Trupti Murgunde was drubbed 16-21 19-21 by Sayaka Sato in the next clash. India's top doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa also failed to live upto expectations as Japan widened the gap with Miyuki Maeda and Satoko Suetsuna handing them a 21-13 13-21 21-12 defeat. Eriko Hirose drubbed India's Gayatri Vartak 21-12 21-7 in the fifth match to round off a comfortable win. Indian women had beaten formidable Hong Kong 3-2 yesterday. — PTI
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IPL will be played in India: Modi
London, February 23 "We are going to have the tournament in India. I can't see any reason why we should move it at this point in time. The media is reacting to every fringe group saying security is a problem," Modi told 'BBC Sport'. Despite Modi's assurances on security, Australian players have not yet committed their participation in the IPL III until the issues raised in the report are addressed. "Nobody in the world can safeguard the safety of the players in any tournament. All we have to do is ensure we are putting on the best security. Safety is paramount to us and we are working with the national and state governments to ensure we have good security in place. "It is being discussed and upgraded on daily basis with all key stakeholders. We will continue that," he said. — PTI |
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After escaping with a narrow win in Jaipur, India would aim to plug their bowling loopholes and seal the three-match series to retain the number two spot in ICC rankings when they take on South Africa in the second ODI here tomorrow.
Tired of battling one injury breakdown after another, Australian pacer Brett Lee is all set to announce his Test retirement tomorrow after being persuaded to do so by good friend Andrew
Flintoff. According to a report in the 'Sydney Morning Herald', the 33-year-old Lee, nursing an elbow injury right now, discussed the matter with Flintoff and the star English all-rounder convinced him to give up the five-day format for a longer stint in ODIs and Twenty20s.
Chetan Anand shepherded the Indian men's team to a 5-0 rout of Cambodia but the women shuttlers went down to Japan 1-4 despite Saina Nehwal's victory over Ai Goto in the Thomas and Uber Cup Asia Zone qualifiers in
Nakornratchasima, Thailand today. Chetan did not face much difficulties in outplaying Chanpisey Vann 21-11 21-10 in the first match to set the tone for a drubbing and Arvind Bhatt then blanked Veasna Troeung 21-4 21-9 in a lop-sided encounter to go 2-0 up in the Thomas Cup match.
— Chetan Anand
