 |
|
|
Kings look for shining Knights
Vinay lone new face; Chawla makes comeback
IOC not to tolerate govt interference in NOCs
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Force India cars make mark, gearbox problem for Karun
World Cup Kabaddi
|
|
Kings look for shining Knights
Speaking to the media Kings XI captain Kumar Sangakkara said, “We have to show that we have what it takes to win. We have to fight hard and hope for the best.” While praising the likes of Manvinder Bisla, the Sri Lankan said for local boy Yuvraj Singh, “it was time to show what he is really made of.” So the favourites tag would be one they will steer clear from for tomorrow’s game. The Knight Riders have not been the most consistent side either. After beginning with two wins, they too seem to have lost the way. Kings will be looking to Yuvraj, who has been patchy in his form. There is obviously the question why they didn’t play Lee and Marsh in the last game, but dropping someone like Jayawardene, Theron or the in-form Ravi Bopara cannot be an easy call for captain Sangakkara. But the team clearly needs a fresh outlook to make a fist of this game. For the Knight Riders, Chris Gayle is in, but barely made a difference in the last game. They would need Angelo Matthews, Brad Hodge and Manoj Tiwary to get going. Speaking to the media KKR coach Dav Whatmore said “We know what is to be done. We will clearly be looking at our batsmen to get more runs.” Chasing or not, the batsmen have to make the difference as both captains look for added punches, as the Kings and the Knights start to fight their way up the points table. |
|
Vinay lone new face; Chawla makes comeback
Mumbai, March 26 Barring Vinay’s inclusion and the recall of Uttar Pradesh leg-spinner Chawla, there were no major surprises in the squad announced by the BCCI secretary N Srinivasan after a selection panel meeting here. Pacers Ishant Sharma, S Sreesanth and RP Singh, who were in the provisional 30-member list, failed to figure in the squad while spinners Pragyan Ojha and Amit Mishra also missed the bus. Virat Kohli was also left out of the squad for the event to be held in the Caribbean from April 30 to May 16. “We have selected the best team for the Twenty20 World Cup. We are happy with the performance of every member of the team. They have shown consistency,” chairman of selectors Krishnamachari Srikkanth said after picking the squad. “The Twenty20 World Cup is still one month away and we hope that this team will do well in the event,” he said. Srikkanth also said as of now there is no worry. “Everyone is hundred per cent fit and all the fitness certificates have been submitted to the Board. All the members are fit and fine,” he said. The diminutive Chawla pipped Ojha and Mishra for the second spinner's berth in the squad which has Harbhajan Singh as the spin spearhead. Chawla returns to the Indian team after a gap of nearly two years, the 2008 Asia Cup in Pakistan being his last appearance. Chawla, who plays for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, has done a decent job with the ball so far, which prompted the selectors to include him in the squad. Gambhir has been included in the squad and will partner Virender Sehwag at the top of the order. — PTI |
|
IOC not to tolerate govt interference in NOCs
New Delhi, March 26 Speaking after a five-day first national seminar on Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP), relating to Olympism, that was attended by over 50 delegates from national and State Olympic Committees, International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Sam Ramswamy said the “IOC would not take it lying down the autonomy being eroded by Governments. The Olympic Charter is very clear on this. The IOC recently suspended the National Olympic Committee of Kuwait after we found the Kuwaiti Government interfering in the affairs of the Kuwait Olympic Committee. In fact when FIFA (International Football Federation) found flagrant violations of the Olympic Charter by some Governments, it initiated sanctions against those countries”, said Ramswamy. He said this in the context of the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports taking a strident stand against the National Sports Federations in the name of accountability. The general refrain in the five-day meeting by delegates from across the country and the IOC members was that the Government and the NSFs should work in co-operation, instead of colliding, which would only hamper the growth of sports. IOC representatives Dr Deanna Binder and T S Ganda Sithole also stressed the need for autonomy of the National Olympic Committees. IOC member and secretary-general of the IOA Randhir Singh said good governance and transparency in whatever the NOCs and their affiliates were doing were pertinent. “I believe with good governance, everything falls into place. We in the IOC always insist on working with the Governments but without affecting our autonomy”, Randhir Singh added. Delegate after delegate emphasised good governance, transparency, independence and autonomy as the keywords for the promotion and growth of sports across the world, which should be popularised through value education in schools. |
|
Force India cars make mark, gearbox problem for Karun
Melbourne, March 26 Sutil was back in charge in the rain-swept afternoon session and his best lap of (1:26.834) was seventh fastest, marginally ahead of Liuzzi’s 1:26.835. “The rain in the second session was not ideal, particularly as I had sat out the first session, but we did what we could and I think overall the findings were very positive,” Sutil later said. “Everything seems to be working OK and we could get all the information we wanted today. I still have a good feeling about this weekend and I would like to better the result we had in Bahrain,” said the German. Liuzzi, who scored the team’s first points this season in Bahrain, was happy with the way his car behaved. “The car was responding pretty well to the changes we made over the sessions. I was quite happy with the balance,” Liuzzi said. “In the first session there were the two red flags in quite quick succession and then the weather didn’t help in the second practice. Unfortunately then there was always traffic as there were people slowing down and backing off to try and get some space so I didn’t get a free lap. It was like people were on a Sunday drive in some places,” said the Italian. Meanwhile, rookie Hispania driver Karun Chandhok finally got some mileage under his belt at the Albert Park before his afternoon session came to a premature end. Karun made 19 laps in the morning session and his best of 1:34.251 put him in the penultimate place, ahead of Virgin’s Timo Glock. The Chennai lad had barely completed 100 meters when he had to stop with a gearbox problem. “We were ready straight away when the first session started and after a seven-lap run I achieved a best lap of 1m 36.259s. It was nice to do some useful laps again this morning, and a pity I had the gearbox problem in the second session,” Karun later said. McLaren, meanwhile, sent out an ominous warning with Lewis Hamilton (1:25.801) and Jenson Button (1:26.076) setting the fastest times in the second practice session. — PTI |
|
World Cup Kabaddi Mohit Khanna Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, March 26 The development took place in the wake of concerns raised by various associations about the possibility of conducting a doping-free World Cup starting April 5. Sources in the sports department said 13 out of 29 participant selected following a trial allegedly tested positive in the doping test conducted by World Anti Doping Authority (WADA). If the sources are to be believed then five players, including a famous international raider refused to undergo the test. In an immediate face-saving measure World Cup organisers are conducting fresh trials at PAU tomorrow. Pargat Singh director Punjab Sport Department expressed ignorance about the doping fiasco. “I don’t know if any player was found positive or not. I was told that some of the elite players could not attend the trials because of busy schedule. So we have decided to conduct a fresh trial,” said Pargat and further added that chairman of the Anti- Doping committee Dr. Manmohan Singh would know about the development. Sources said National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports carried an advertisement in The Tribune, after so many players were found positive for doping. The advertisement reads, "Youth of Punjab, we are proud of Punjab Kabaddi. This is so long as there is no doping. Therefore wherever Kabaddi Tournament are held, NADA, will arrive to take urine samples. Understand this, and reject drugs.”
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Face Kolkata in crunch home game today
Melbourne, March 26
Mohali, March 26
The team has looked in a state of collective chaos and to make the semis from here will be some challenge. They had started as favourites against the Rajasthan Royals, but the tale had a nasty twist to it. 
The two teams, just as was the case against Rajasthan Royals, are the bottom two. And while there still are quite a few matches to go, the sooner you are away from the bottom, the better it is. 
