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India out of semifinal race
Aus edge out Spain
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Proteas stun Pak, record first win
World Cup Diary IPL to announce two new franchises
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India out of semifinal race
England and the Netherlands are the only unbeaten teams in the tournament so far. While England had four wins to aggregate maximum 12 points, the Netherlands have three wins from as many matches to log maximum of nine points. Today’s matches
Korea vs Canada 4.35 pm The win makes England first team to enter semifinals while India continues to totter in the bottom half of the pool with just one win and three defeats. The home team is left with a game against South Africa that shocked Pakistan 4-3 for their first ever win in the World Cup. In the final stages, when India were trying desperately for equaliser, two of their dependable halfbacks, Sardar Singh and Gurbaj Singh, were cooling their heels on the sidelines for being shown yellow card. Playing with nine men for the last four minutes, India were lucky not to concede any further goal as England made a determined effort in the last 20 seconds. But their last attempt at the Indian goal was far off the target. Now India, Pakistan and South Africa with one win and three defeats each will have to wait for their last pool games to decide which one of them moves to the top eight group. Pakistan has a match against Australia on Monday. Long before the India-England match started, the stadium had almost filled to its three-fourth capacity with an enthusiastic Saturday night crowd that chanted for home team’s win. Finally when the game ended, those still in the stands did clap for the victorious English team in a rare gesture of sportsmanship. India had rested goalkeeper Sreejesh and Deepak Thakur and also did not include skipper Rajpal Singh in the starting XI. Though it was one of the best displays by the home team as each and every member played to his capacity, yet it was not enough against one of the strongest teams in the tournament. England exhibited not only dynamics of a scientifically planned game but also had the enthusiastic Indians contained with tight marking. Though Indians showed glimpses of their first day performance against Pakistan, yet the spark needed to convert half chances into goals was missing. Not only in the last minute but earlier in the game too, Rajpal, who played well otherwise, missed a sitter. Both Sandeep and Mahadik could not make use of the penalty corners that came their way. At one stage, it looked as if England will run up a big win, as it did against Pakistan. Leading by James Tindall’s first half goal, England swelled the lead to 3-0 with goals from Jackson in the 42nd minute and Catlin in the 47th minute. It was at this stage that India in a splendid recovery saw Gurwinder Chandi calmly putting the ball home of a cross from Gurbaj and skipper Rajpal making no mistake from a centre sent by Sarwanjit. Even in the last match against Spain, Chandi and Rajpal were the scorers.
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Aus edge out Spain
New Delhi, March 6 It was the sixth encounter between Australia and Spain in the World Cup. Australia has now won four times, lost once and drew once. Australia were on the offensive from the word go as they went for full court press as they do in basketball and even attempted to thwart 16-yard free hits. Spaniards are no novices and they gradually started digging their feet in to give Australians medicine for their own ailment. In the ninth minute, Berbie Graeme got marching orders for bringing down Pol Amat and besides conceding a penalty corner. While Spain could not make use of any of the seven penalty comers they earned today, Australia on the other hand got their first goal from a penalty corner that makes the scorer Luke Doerner a strong contender for top scorer of the tournament award. His neat flick from the first penalty corner stuck the board in the 20th minute. With a little bit of luck, Spain could have got the equaliser in the 31st minute. Nippy and speedy Eduaro Tubau in a dazzling display of controlled stick work wove past the entire Australian defence including the goalkeeper, but his shot from an acute angle zipped across the goalmouth. A good chance was lost. Even Australia had let go a good chance of consolidating the lead. Abbot made a gallant attempt from top of striking circle but found Cortes in the Spanish goal alert. One of the unusual scenes witnessed in the present day hockey - bully off - made this game memorable. Spain had asked for a video referral while the ball had already travelled to their territory. While the video umpire stood by field umpire’s decision, game was resumed with a bully off. Australia had to wait till the 61st minute to consolidate their lead and assure themselves of maximum three points. It was Turner, who after a few pleasant and accurate exchange of passes amongst Australian forwards beat Cortes in the goal with a neat flick. |
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Proteas stun Pak, record first win
New Delhi, March 6 The defeat, however, spelt doom for Pakistan who are now out of the fight for the fifth place, after losing three of their four matches. South Africa put up a spirited fight back and at one stage led 4-1, but Pakistan added two goals in the final three minutes to ran the South African close, though it was no consolation for the four-time title holders, and once the giants of the sport. Pakistan mounted a series of attacks, and Shakeel Abbasi stood out with his dribbling skills. But South Africa were equally determined to deny Pakistan goals as their defence stood out to nip the Pakistan sallies mostly at the top of the dee, or inside the circle. Pakistan expectedly took the lead in the sixth minute when Rehan Butt found the target after a goalmouth scramble. It looked like a comfortable sailing for Pakistan when they “scored” a second goal in the 22nd minute by Sohail Abbas off their second penalty corner. The scoreboard showed Pakistan leading 2-0. But South Africa asked for referral and the television umpired negated the goal as the ball off the penalty push was stopped on the line of the dee, and not outside it, as is the rule. So “robbed” off a goal, Pakistan were pushed into a defensive mode by South Africa who were charged up in the final few minutes of the first half, forcing two penalty corners in succession. South Africa returned from the interval all charged up and equalised three minutes into the second half when Gareth Carr scooped in off their fourth penalty corner. Then they scored two superb field goals in the next nine minutes through Ian Haley and Taine Paton to take a 3-1 lead. Marvin Harper made it 4-1 with yet another remarkable field goal eight minutes later. Pakistan made a late surge to force two penalty corners in the space of two minutes, the last coming just seconds before the final hooter, to score through Mohammad Imran and Waseem Ahmed. Pakistan realised late to give variation in their penalty corner strikes, instead of depending solely on Rehan Butt, but by then time ran out on them to repair the damage. Pakistan also realised that holding on to the ball, displaying their dribbling skills, was no way to play even against South Africa, as the African champions disposed them before they could give logical finish to the threatening raids. |
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Lee-Hesh keep it alive
Moscow, March 6 India needed a win to keep themselves in the hunt but a tough day awaits them as the reverse singles will be played tomorrow. India had conceded 2-0 lead yesterday after defeats of Somdev Devvarman and Rohan Bopanna. It will be a herculean task for the two Indian youngsters to pull it off for India after suffering morale-hitting defeats yesterday. Somdev will play against world number 13 Mikhail Youzhny and Bopanna will face Kunitsyn. Paes and Bhupathi, inside top 10 of ATP ranking chart, hardly had any trouble in registering their 23rd consecutive win in the Davis Cup tournament as they were too hot to handle for the host players. Bhupathi’s strong serve and Paes’ immaculate play at the net was a treat to watch. —
PTI |
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World Cup Diary
Automatic qualifier for 2012 London Olympic games will be the Guangzhou Asian Games champion. Other teams from Asia aspiring for an Olympic berth will have to go through the rigmaroles of the Olympic qualifiers. As of now besides India and Pakistan, contenders for a ticket to London will also include South Korea, Malaysia and China.
Since the performance of India, Pakistan and Korea in the ongoing 12th World Cup has been below expectations of their respective team managements, planning has already started for the future in general and the Olympic games in particular. Pakistan is seeking help of some of its friends in world hockey to locate an experienced international coach who can fine-tune the present team by working on its weaknesses and sharpen its strong points to turn it into Asian Games champion. Former goalkeeper Shahid Ali Khan is presently the chief coach of Pakistan. Incidentally, the Pakistan Hockey Federation is currently headed by an Olympian and former international player Qasim Zia. Zia is using good offices of former Malaysian coach and Olympian Sarjit Singh to rope in a European coach. “Yes, Pakistan is looking for a foreign coach and I am trying to help them,” says Sarjit Singh, refusing to divulge any further details. He says that new coach of the Malaysian team, after he gave up, has been his previous colleague and deputy. He feels that China may not be a strong contender as he predicts Pakistan-Korea final giving India an outside chance of making to the Asian games final. It may be pertinent to mention here that in the 2008 Olympic Games, India had failed to qualify for the first time in 80 years. India had lost the Olympic qualifier final to Great Britain in Chile. In the 2006 Asian games in Doha, India had failed to make the semifinal grade for the first time since hockey was introduced. The only interest left for Asian teams in the World Cup here is a chance to qualify for the elite Champions Trophy. Team finishing fifth here will definitely qualify. A number of foreign coaches, exploring possibilities of signing contracts, are here. World Cup is an opportunity that brings the top notch not only among players, umpires, but also coaches, physical trainers and others associated with team managements. India will have to wait till the elections to Hockey India are held. The International Hockey Federation that wanted this process to be completed by November last year has now extended the deadline till May this year because of some litigations and problems in granting affiliation to genuine and left out units. It will depend upon the new team whether to continue with the present chief coach, Jose Brasa, or look for someone else for future assignments of Indian team. |
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IPL to announce two new franchises
Mumbai, March 6 The base price for the two new franchises, which would take up the number of teams in the IPL to 10, has been fixed at $225 million. “We expect the winning bids to be around $300 million,” a top IPL source revealed. The terms and conditions for the bidding process have been made stringent with each bidder having been asked to furnish a bank guarantee of $100 million along with their bid, the source said. Talking about IPL’s merchandise branding tie-up with Bandelier, Modi said this was the first of many such deals which are in the pipeline. “We aim to clinch close to 70-80 licensees before the end of the year. The royalty paid by the licensees will be shared among the IPL and the teams,” he said. MCC not bidding for IPL team
London: The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has decided not to bid for the new Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises that would be unveiled tomorrow in Mumbai. After initial interest, MCC has decided against putting its money in the league, which will have two new franchises from next season. MCC president John Barclay and head of cricket John Stephenson will, however, will be in India next week to attend the IPL opening ceremony in Mumbai. At this ceremony, the eight team leaders will sign a Captain’s Charter to adhere to the MCC Spirit of Cricket ‘Play Hard, Play Fair’ principles. “MCC has confirmed that it was not part of the bids that were lodged in Mumbai for the two new Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises. The MCC Committee had met earlier this week at Lord’s to discuss its potential involvement with an IPL franchise,” the MCC said in a statement.—
PTI |
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Missing a last minute sitter, India went down fighting to pool leaders England 2-3 in an absorbing and action-packed game in the 12th Hero Honda World Cup Hockey Tournament.
Playing to a set game plan, Australia scored once in each half to edge out Spain 2-0 for their third win in four games to move a step closer to a berth in semifinals of the 12th Hero Honda World Cup Hockey Tournament at Major Dhyan Chand National Hockey Stadium here today. The win for Aussies comes as a sweet revenge for they had lost 1-3 to Spain in the 2006 World Cup in Munchengladbach. With their second defeat in four games, Spain are in a piquant situation as they are now left with a game against England.
South Africa bounced back from a goal down to spoil the party for Pakistan as they scored a 4-3 victory to notch up their first victory in Group B of the 12th Hero Honda FIH World Cup Hockey Championship at the National Stadium here.
South Africa, who had lost their previous three matches to Spain, England and Australia conceding 22 goals and scoring six, let in two more goals but added four more, though the victory did not mean anything to the African team.
Automatic qualifier for 2012 London Olympic games will be the Guangzhou Asian Games champion. Other teams from Asia aspiring for an Olympic berth will have to go through the rigmaroles of the Olympic qualifiers. As of now besides India and Pakistan, contenders for a ticket to London will also include South Korea, Malaysia and China.
New Delhi, March 6
I referred to Malik and Rehman: Butt