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Super-8 battle from today |
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Kolkata, May 5 Shattered after persistent ankle injuries dropped curtains on his career, former captain Dilip Tirkey is contemplating coaching, for he believes he still has a lot to offer to Indian hockey. Considered one of the toughest defenders in the world in his pomp, Tirkey wants to hone the skill of young tribal players from his home district of Sundargarh in Orissa, now known more for Maoist activities. Hockey bodies too need to be revived
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No natural disaster for England
Providence (Guyana), May 5 As the match ended without any result, both the teams got one point each but England qualified for the next stage due to their superior net run-rate.
The game was abandoned as heavy rains forced suspension of play before the mandatory five overs could be bowled in the second innings to declare a result applying Duckworth-Lewis method. Chasing 121 to win, Ireland were 14 for one in 3.3 overs when heavy rains lashed the ground for the second time. Sent in to bat, England were off to a dismal start but Eoin Morgan's determined 37-ball 45 helped them post a modest 120 for eight. Morgan, who struck five fours, found good support from Luke Wright (20 off 24). The duo came together when the team was struggling at 49 for four and added 41 runs for the fifth wicket to repair the innings.
Earlier, Ireland bowlers exploited the conditions well and made life tough for English batsmen, with Boyd Rankin (2/25) and Kevin O'Brien (2/22) scalping two wickets each. — PTI
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Barbados, May 5 England, who squeaked into the Super Eights following a washout against Ireland, will play South Africa, New Zealand and most likely Pakistan in the other cluster. Defending champions Pakistan will hope that Australia will crush Bangladesh in their last group match so that they can enter the second round of the championship, which offers a winners purse of $8,00,000.
It is a do-or -die from now for Dhoni's men, who need to win two of their matches to ensure that they extend their stay in the enchantingly beautiful islands. India play an exotically talented Australia on May 7, and then run into Chris Gayle's West Indies on May 9. They need to win one of these two games, as they have the comfort of playing a relatively weaker opponent in Sri Lanka on July 11 in St Lucia. — PTI
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Tirkey hopes for solace in coaching
"We need to groom the young, talented players and give them exposure. I want to coach them but things are yet to be finalised," the unassuming former Indian captain told PTI. Saddened by the way his career ended, Tirkey said he had hoped to finish on a high by playing in the recent FIH World Cup in Delhi and the two upcoming meets — the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. "It was a packed year with three big tournaments. I wanted to call it a day on a high, bringing laurels for the country in all the three tournaments. But it did not happen," he rued. On his retirement from international hockey, Tirkey said, "It was a very tough decision to make. Both my ankles were not holding up for about five-six months. All my efforts to recover went in vain. They would heal and resurface again when I started practising. So I had to give up eventually. "It was a very very sad end to my career. I am really disappointed, it has shattered me," he said.
— PTI |
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Hockey bodies too need to be revived Chandigarh, May 5 Unfortunately, the State Sports Associations are still be rejuvenated. For example, it is almost a year when all the bodies controlling the game of hockey, both men and women, merged to form a unified Hockey Punjab. But still most of the districts are yet to have unified District Hockey Associations. The State also has to end different wings of the government doing the same thing. Instead, resources and finances can be diverted for improving the infrastructure. Though Hockey Punjab has involved a number of Olympians and former internationals, District Hockey Associations, too, can be encouraged to rope in other available experienced players. Some of the central schemes, including PYKKA can also be used to augment facilities and strengthen pool of trained manpower for use as coaches as well for looking after technical aspects of the game. Things are gradually settling down and it may take a while for Punjab to re-emerge the major hockey nursery, not only of India but also worldwide as it did in the last millennium Hockey has again started picking up in the rustic belts of the Doab, especially the Sansarpur-Khusropur-Mithapur belt courtesy the Punjab Sports department that has been providing free playing kits and sticks besides laying of mini turfs in villages. The Tribune spoke to coaches and players at Surjit Hockey Academy, Kukar Pind and Sports School that have some of the best hockey centers now. Budding players of Kukar Pind on the outskirts of Jalandhar Cantonment assemble at the newly laid mini-turf every morning. This brigade, some 60 of them, do not miss training as they take turns in watering the synthetic surface by using both buckets and a hosepipe. Goalkeeper Puneet Sharma of DAV College Jalandhar was excited, “Ever since the mini-turf has been laid, not only youngsters but even other villagers have been enthused.” The players, however, miss the services of a coach. “In the absence of a coach we are left with no option but to learn the game by watching others play. Though playing on the surface is a boon for us, we could give much better results if we get a regular coach here. The sports department should put up water connections for maintaining the turf”, said Sukhjinder Singh Bahia, a full back, who had been playing in inter-university tournaments. Harkaramjit Singh Bahia, an NRI from Canada and a hockey enthusiast, says that apart from popularising the game and maintaining the mini-turf, the villagers are also planning a massive plantation drive to develop a green belt around the turf. As NRIs we want all facilities for our budding hockey players ”, he added. Hockey has got a new lease of life at the Government Sports School with the revival of the wing last year that had been closed eight years ago. Two of its players Gurpreet Singh and Amanjot Singh - both forwards - had an impressive show during the 55th National School Games (U-17) held at Jalandhar last year. At present the wing has 32 players in U-17 and U-19 age groups. “Although a small beginning but the selection of two players for the national games came as a major boost for us. The boys are picking the game fast and I am hopeful of a good show this year too”, says coach Malkit Singh. “Our players also play on the Astroturf at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in shifts”, he added. Coach Avtar Singh feels distribution of free sports kits by sports department and the recruitment of coaches on contract basis are the source of this response. “We received the best talent in the game,” he adds. “We have the best facilities at the academy as players get free diet. Even the hostel facilities are also at par with any other institution in the state,” adds Avtar. And to equip the players with different styles of hockey special hockey clinics have also been held in the past. Shiv Jagday of Canada, and an FIH coach, held a hockey clinic at Ludhiana in March this year. Earlier, he supervised a 10-day camp at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Academy in 2008. The players from the academy were also taken to witness the World cup Hockey held at Delhi recently. “Earlier schools used to conduct hockey tournaments but with the passage of time the sports culture has virtually collapsed in the Government Schools”, says coach Gurdev Singh. Upcoming players from the academy are skipper Mandeep Singh, Manpreet Singh (half back) and centre forward Akashdeep. Forward Talwinder Singh, half back Barkat Singh and drag flicker Sukhmandeep Singh were selected for U-19 World Cup training camp. Star striker Gurwinder Singh Chandi and forwards Sarwan Singh and Ranjodh Singh besides full back Harbir Singh have played for India in the Six Nation Hockey Tournament held at Singapore.
With inputs from Kusum Arora.
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Barbados, May 5
Both England, who have a net run-rate of -0.452, and Ireland's (-3.500) had lost to hosts West Indies before coming into this rubber.
Rain halted the match soon after Ireland began its reply. They were four for no loss in 1.2 overs when the match was halted due to heavy downpour. The proceedings resumed after almost half-an-hour but Ireland had added only 10 runs in 13 balls that heavens opened up again. Ireland lost opener Paul Stirling (0) off Ryan Sidebottom in the second over.
Andre Botha has set a bowling record for Ireland with 21 wickets at 8.76 runs apiece, in 14 matches in Twenty20 Internationals.
Six days into the championship, the wheat has been separated from the chaff. The world's best eight teams will battle for supremacy here on, striving to make the semifinals, slated for May 13 and 14 at St Lucia. The final is scheduled for May 16 in the land of the legendary three Ws – Weekes, Walcott and Worrel. India did magnificently well in the group games, trouncing debutants Afghanistan and South Africa by big margins but their biggest challenge begins now.
Kolkata, May 5
In August
2009, Punjab Hockey Association, Punjab Women Hockey Association, Pepsu Hockey Association for men and Pepsu Women Hockey Association were merged to form Hockey Punjab
